Silver Legends
by StarLion
Summary: Follow on to 'Twilight Fox'. Having been found out by Tails to be a previous Hero of Hyrule, Silver tells the stories of the events that led him to Hyrule and how he became known as the Hero of Time.
1. A Talking Tree

**A/N: **Well, here we are. Yes, I know I said I was going to try to finish the various other stories I had on the go before I started others, but I had that much fun writing Twilight Fox that I just had to start this one. Besides, I couldn't very well leave you waiting after that story, could I?

The start of this story follows on from the end of Twilight Fox for a time, but soon ends up with Silver telling the story of his adventures. Or one of them, at least.

As usual, I don't own anything from Zelda or Sonic. Just the creativity I bring the two together with.

Enjoy!

* * *

As the sun set outside the rural workshop, two figures leaned together on a fence to watch the view. Both of them bore green that, while different for each of them, was still similar enough that a casual observer would have noticed the matching garb.

A casual observer would also note that each of them had a sword and shield strapped on their backs however, and would probably find somewhere else to be just on the basis of their presence.

One sword was plain and utilitarian, designed only with the fighting it would see in mind. It had been forged to last by a smith that knew the value of a good sword.

By contrast, the sword of the other figure was far more ornate, having been gilded over at some time. Even the grip on the handle kept a similar golden colour to it, separated from the gold that covered much of the blade only by a crossguard that curled up toward the blade. While it had an imposing, if expensive, appearance, many nicks and worn patches clearly showed that this sword too was still meant for fighting and not just for show.

While their swords differed, the shield did not. Both were a deep royal blue with a silver trim on them, a stylised red bird with wings spread covering the lower part of the shield while above it three triangles were set, one placed above the other two to form a larger triangle with a hollow, inverted triangular center.

The triangles represented a force of a distant land, the Triforce of Hyrule and a place these two had both been a chosen hero of before. The twinned yellow tails of one belonged to the recently returned Tails, chosen by the Goddesses to drive back the onslaught of the twilight realm and its false king, then the true force behind it, Ganondorf. His hero's garb clinked slightly whenever he shifted, mute evidence of the chainmail armour hidden beneath the green tunic.

Beside him stood the strange silver hedgehog who he knew to be the Hero of Time, the immediate predecessor to the title of Hero of Hyrule. Silver had long since returned from not one but two adventures, during which he had even met Tails, albeit fleetingly and in such a way that Tails did not recognise him. His green was plainer, simple and unadorned with no chainmail to it, but it was the same styling, the same sturdy kind of boots, the same green tunic and the same flowing green cap.

"You know Tails, I almost envy you," Silver said at last. "There are parts of your adventure I wish I'd had the chance to experience."

"Like being a wolf, no doubt," Tails laughed. "That was definitely one of the high points. You've no idea how much I love to run as a wolf."

"I can only imagine. I'd like to have met Midna too, maybe travelled with her. Not that I didn't like Navi, of course," he added quickly. "But the way you describe Midna..."

"She had character, alright," Tails agreed. "I don't know what I'd have done without her."

"Even her strange remarks?"

"That was part of her charm. It's why I miss her. Well, that and her habit of calling me 'wolf boy'."

"But you are, Tails," Silver teased. "At least whenever you use that gem she gave you."

Tails reached into his tunic and took out the gem, a small rounded stone with strangely compelling green lines over it, a last gift from Midna to him before the two parted ways for the last time. All he had to do was touch it to his forehead and it would make him take on the form of a two-tailed wolf once more. A forepaw touched again would cause the stone to re-emerge, restoring his form.

"That reminds me," Tails murmured, lost in the designs momentarily. "There's one thing I don't get."

"And you didn't ask before you left Hyrule?"

"You weren't there, so I couldn't really ask, could I?"

"You want to know why you saw some Hylian by the name of Link in the Temple of Time, and when I passed on some of my skills to you," Silver answered shrewdly.

"Can you blame me? The first I knew of the true identity of Link was when I met a dark version of me who said he knew you. When I defeated him, I asked him who you were and he showed me your face. Why did you hide from me?"

"It wasn't entirely my idea," Silver confessed. "I suppose in the beginning it was, in a way. Strange land, strange people, no one like you or me around. I had to do something to persuade people I wasn't some kind of monster. Later on, I was asked by someone who I suspect was one of the Goddesses if I would pass on certain skills to another Hero – you, obviously – and was told I shouldn't let on who I was. It was that someone who gave me the image of Link you saw."

Tails though about that for a time as the last glimmers of the sun finally retreated below the horizon, then turned away toward his workshop.

"Why don't you share your story then? I told you mine, now it's your turn."

"You just want an excuse to curl up in front of a fire as a wolf again," Silver chuckled.

"Hey, don't knock it. It's comfortable that way. Race you to my place," he added with a sly grin, then without waiting for a reply he touched the gem to his head, changed form and bounded off.

"No fair Tails!" Silver called, running after him.

* * *

After my future got saved – again – by all the time-travelling I did, I found there was just one small problem. I still originated from my own future, and because that no longer existed the new future wasn't really my home any more. I guess it doesn't help that certain people didn't meet there, so technically I never existed there.

Anyway, since peace broke out more or less universally, I got bored and had nothing to do. That was when I put my ability to travel time to good use. It isn't the easiest thing to do even for me, but at least it got me out and about, seeing places as they were before and after certain events.

Normally I tried to avoid getting involved in them. I'd already seen what could happen when you play with the future. But on one of my journeys something else came blundering in on my carefully calculated time-travel, throwing me completely off course. No telling where or when I'd end up after that.

As luck had it – though in reality luck probably had nothing to do with it – I emerged above a bushy clearing around an extraordinarily large tree, with just enough time before I fell to do at least something to slow my fall enough that the bushes would soften the landing somewhat.

Once I extricated myself from the berry-bush I'd landed in, I took stock of where I was and what was around me. Naturally that tree dominated the scene, the vast roots stretching almost as far as the broad canopy above did, shadowing a fair part of the clearing. What was strangest about it was not the great size to which it had grown, but that there was some darker bark on the immense trunk that looked like two eyebrows, and below them a moustache, giving it the appearance of a face.

There was no one around that I could immediately see, but experience had already taught me to search a bit wider than I could see. I sent my mind searching for the tell-tale flows of energy that marked sentient life.

I found a small gathering of energy that seemed old, yet strangely young at the same time not far from me, perhaps on the far end of what appeared to be a natural corridor through the woodlands that marked the outside edge of the clearing. Some of these unusual energies were on their own, others in groups, but they all shared the intensity that I'd only noticed before in humans or hedgehogs like me. And other similar life.

They didn't seem to be worth worrying about right now, unless one of them came this way, so I continued to search, looking in a mental circle like a radar. And would you believe it, I found a source of energy so vast, so complex that even my own mind reeled back at the immensity of it. What really startled me was that it was coming from the _tree_ of all things – let alone what happened next.

"Wither comest thou into our woods, strange creature?" a dry, archaic voice said to the accompaniment of wooden creaking.

Now I can handle a lot of strange things, but this was too much.

"A tree," I managed, turning to the tree. "A tree that talks."

"Thou dost seem surprised," the tree said. This time I saw the slight movements of the 'face' I'd seen on it as it talked. "Surely thou art aware of I? The Great Deku Tree?"

"No," I said eventually, slowly. "I've... only just got here. Surely you know that – you just saw me get here."

"Ah, so that be what the flash of light were about. What be thy name, strange creature, and from where dost thou hail?"

"I'm Silver. I don't mean just my colour, either. And where I come from..." I hesitated. I'd have known if there was anything like this in our world. "It sure isn't anywhere around here. Just put it down as a 'far off land'."

"Then why didst thou enter into the woods of the Kokiri, Silver? What be thy intentions?"

"I didn't exactly get a choice about where I came. Something disrupted me and I ended up here. I can't leave again, not yet at least. It takes a lot of strength to get around that way, and I'm not up to it just yet."

"So thou dost require only a somewhere to stay and sustenance until that time. I can have these things provided, but not without cost. What canst thou offer in return?"

I almost couldn't believe what was happening. Not only was a tree talking to me in some archaic language I only just managed to interpret, but now because it knew I was here it was asking me what I could do?

Fortunately I didn't have to go far to give some demonstration of my capabilities. I had no idea if this Great Deku Tree could see or if it was just aware of my presence, but I chanced it, extending one hand palm outward to a nearby rock that must have been about twice my size, then with a flick of my wrist caused it to rise up, hover in the air, then as if some phantom had hit it caused it to sail through the air to land some distance away.

"And that's only the start of it," I told the tree.

"Curious. Was it thy mind I sensed the touch of before we spake?"

"Probably. I was trying to see who was around. I wasn't expecting to find you – I mean, a tree-"

"I understand thy meaning. Reach out again unto my mind Silver, that I might understand the extent and source of thy power. Be assured I bear no malice unto thee, only curiosity. Needs must I know what thou art about before thou dost meet the Kokiri over whom I watch."

As I started to get used to this archaic language I started to appreciate it could be very flowery, but that same trait seemed to hold the dangers of going on, and on, and on... you'd forget what you were talking about half way through a sentence if you weren't careful.

At any rate, I reached out to the vast mind of the Great Deku Tree. As he was expecting it this time he lessened the impression I sensed, though the immensity of it still awed me. This was surely an ancient being with great, though very subtle power.

I felt its mind gently probe my own, memories surfacing as it examined them in turn, then the sense of the vast mind was gone.

"So thou art an adventurer of time, it appears. Perhaps it may be thee I have awaited the coming of, but it is too soon to tell. Needs must I ponder this further."

"Wait, what about me?"

"Look to thyself, Silver the Hedgehog, and be not afeared for what thou seest."

Naturally, a twinge of fear set in anyway. I looked down at myself, only to find that now I looked like a young human boy, clothed in a green tunic belted at the waist and serviceable brown boots. Several strands of golden blond hair were at the edge of my vision, framing my new human face.

But strangely I didn't _feel_ any different. Experimentally I raised one arm, and the human arm I saw answered perfectly. For all intents and purposes, I was human.

"I have used thy own abilities to cloth thee in this illusion," the Great Deku Tree explained. "Thy true form doth lie beneath the image of the Kokiri child others will perceive. Thou art free to take thy own name or to pick one of thine own choosing when thou meet the other Kokiri, but tell them not of thy true nature."

"Won't they notice someone new? They'll never have seen me before, after all."

"Aye, and to that end thou wilt tell them only that thou art a wayward child I have taken in, not truly a Kokiri but staying among them. That be why thou dost appear to be Kokiri, but have not the fairy that all Kokiri have."

Fairy? This was starting to become less and less believable, but I know the difference between reality and a dream. This was definitely real.

"Conceal thy abilities well," the Deku Tree went on. "The Kokiri may not sense them as I have, but an thou dost not make them seem as coincidence, they will grow suspicious."

"I'll be careful," I promised. "Do you mind if I change this... illusion you've given me a bit?"

"An it please thee," it responded. "Save only the clothes you bear. Now follow yon path behind thee, and meet thy new friends. Should I have need of thee, I will send for thee."

So much for my usual intentions of not getting involved. At least with the tree's help, I'd managed to minimise the effect I'd have. Or so I thought.


	2. Kokiri Forest

Along the way down the narrow corridor I'd been pointed to, I started to hope the archaic tongue the Great Deku Tree spoke with was not too widely used in this strange land I'd come to. I didn't think I'd be able to keep it up without making more than a few mistakes. As it happened I didn't have to worry about that.

I was still distracted by my new appearance, in a way marvelling at what the Deku Tree had done for me. It had said this image was created and sustained by me, but I hadn't felt anything happen. The image was so realistic I could barely believe it really hadn't made me human.

That distraction quickly reminded me to pay attention to my surroundings. Along the path there were what appeared to be blue flower buds, low to the ground. When these plants somehow sensed my presence though they shot up, the bud becoming a kind of mouth on a stick.

The first time I encountered one of them, popping up in front of me unexpectedly, I ended up falling right on my behind – where I discovered two things. First, this odd plant was not actually threatening me as such, it was just reacting to me. The bud bit away at the air above it, swaying on the stick-like stem, but it wasn't aimed at me.

Second, and more interestingly, as I got back up and absently rubbed at my sore backside, I found not my own back but the one of this image – I didn't just look human, I even _felt _human to the touch! This was one very complete illusion, far beyond my own capabilities.

Though still amazed at the outward appearance I now gave, I paid more attention to where I was going after that. There was another of the strange plants along the way, but like the first it just bit at the air above, no real threat to anyone.

I scanned briefly ahead with my mind, finding the energy flows I'd felt before that presumably were my new friends, the Kokiri. There was one not far from me, judging by what I could see just around the corner I saw ahead, and a group of three off to my right. Another two just off to one side from the first, though further away. The rest were too far away to worry too much about.

When I turned the corner I saw my first Kokiri, and with it understood why the Great Deku Tree had warned me against changing the colour of my tunic – every Kokiri wore the same. Some wore green boots instead of the sturdy brown others wore and some had taken the short sleeves off their tunics, but otherwise there was little difference between them.

What startled me about them was that they were all scarcely older than my human image looked! The energies I'd sensed, like the Deku Tree, all gave the impression of a great age, but these Kokiri looked as if they never grew up.

The first Kokiri I saw was naturally the first one I'd sensed as well, an orange haired boy – if that still applies to these eternal children – who appeared to be guarding the path to the Deku Tree, completely unaware of my presence.

I couldn't see the other Kokiri I'd sensed, but I could see why. There were large tree stumps around this considerably larger clearing in the midst of the forest, hollowed out to serve as a their homes. A small stream ran from a waterfall behind the nearest such home, flowing around it, past the Kokiri in front of me and then underground through a narrow cave opening.

The Kokiri didn't seem to be averse to building their own structures either though. From the top of one stump a wooden bridge extended out over to a wooden pillar beside the river, and from there it turned to follow the river a ways to another wood pillar, on top of which was another Kokiri.

One thing I noticed about my new friends was that each of them had a small, glowing creature that resembled a ball of light with wings – their fairies. Again I understood what the Deku Tree had meant – I resembled a human pretending to be a Kokiri, the missing fairy being the evidence I was not truly of them.

That, of course, was what gave me away. The little fairy hovering above the Kokiri's head noticed me.

"Mido," it said in piping voice. "Behind you." Mido's fairy always was a fairy of few words, I soon discovered.

Mido naturally turned around to see what his fairy wanted him to see. Strangely he didn't seem surprised by my appearance there, looking me over critically with his hands on his hips.

"Who are you meant to be?" he asked eventually in a belligerent kind of tone. "You look like us, but you aren't."

"That's probably because I'm not," I answered. "I'm Silver." Well, why not? The Deku Tree had told me it was up to me what name I gave them. At least I wouldn't have to get used to people calling me something else. "The Great Deku Tree said I could stay here."

"Oh, did he now?" Mido said sceptically. "Anyone could say that."

"It's the truth. If you don't like it, go take it up with him."

"Don't take that condescending tone with me!"

By now, a Kokiri that had been lounging on top of the shop had seen me. Her fairy flew over to the one on the farthest wood pillar, who in turn sent her fairy off to the house at the other end of the wood bridges.

Mido, oblivious to this, pointed me past him. "Whoever you are, you're not going past here," he told me. "Only Saria gets to go through here to see the Great Deku Tree. I don't like letting you into our woods... but I'm not going to just let you have free run of our forest."

"If I have to see him, then I'm going to see him," I replied, trying not to let his offensive attitude get the better of me. He seemed almost torn, he didn't want to let me into this part of their woods, but he also didn't want to let me just go back up to the Deku Tree. I got the idea he thought of himself as the leader of the Kokiri, but felt his position was only secure if he went out of his way for it.

He'd got me curious though, mentioning this Saria. Was he – or she – another Kokiri? What gave her special rights to see the Great Deku Tree at any time?

The Kokiri watched me wade through the river, but there was no sign of distrust to them. They were curious, but they kept their distance. That was until I met Saria, at least. The fairy that had gone into the house returned, spotted me, then went back in again. After a few moments it came back out and returned to its Kokiri, closely followed by a Kokiri girl with bright green hair and a pink fairy hovering just behind her.

"You're the new boy, aren't you?" she asked from the doorway without the slightest hint of fear. "Where's your fairy?"

"I'm not really a Kokiri," I explained. "My name's Silver."

"Saria," she replied, then frowned. "There's something odd about you, Silver," she said thoughtfully, finally leaving the door of what I guessed was her house. "I can't quite tell what."

"Maybe the Great Deku Tree could tell you? Only Mido..."

"Oh, don't worry about him," she said dismissively. "He means well really. Now, lets see about getting you somewhere to stay. You wouldn't be allowed to wear that if you weren't going to be staying a while."

Saria started to head down a slope just behind her house that led to a taller tree trunk. It had a ladder that led up to a small balcony just outside the hollow that made the door.

As I followed I touched on Saria's mind very lightly, in case she was gifted herself in some measure. There was something different about her, something the other Kokiri did not have, but I couldn't fathom what.

"Don't do that Silver," she said absently. She'd sensed me, and that had been as light a touch as I could manage! Were the Kokiri... no, if they all shared this ability to feel my mind, they would have known I was there already.

Anyway, she led me down – surprise, surprise – to that house, where she told me, "This used to belong to another one like you. A boy without a fairy, I mean."

"What happened to him?"

"He left the forest and was never seen again. We Kokiri can't leave our forest. You can stay here for now. The other Kokiri will accept you too now."

"Just because I've been seen with you?"

"Well, someone had to accept you first," she replied with a toss of that green hair. "If I hadn't, you'd still be wandering around and not getting anywhere."

And that was my introduction to the Kokiri Forest and its inhabitants. From the balcony outside what was now my house I could see much of this part of the forest, with Saria pointing out the landmarks.

The house up beside mine was hers, as I'd thought, and the one beyond belonged to two Kokiri who strangely didn't have individual names but were just known as The Twins. They didn't just look alike but thought alike too, even finishing each other's sentences.

Up on a higher ledge on the other side of my house was the house of the four so-called Know-it-All Brothers. They had names, but I can't actually recall them right now. It was a fair while ago. Opposite their house was Mido's house, which had a ring of rocks another Kokiri was struggling to lift, and up behind that was a tunnel lined with planks of wood that lead to the Lost Woods.

"Don't go there without us just yet," Saria warned me. "They're not called the Lost Woods for no reason. You don't want to try going through that tunnel either," she added, pointing to a similar one just beyond Mido's house.

"Why, what's in there?"

"That's the way out of our forest. The other Kokiri take turns guarding it so no one wanders out accidentally."

"But I'm not a Kokiri, Saria. I'm not tied to the woods like you are."

"Then what about the other boy who stayed here?" she demanded. "He left the forest, and not even the Great Deku Tree knows what happened to him." Then she frowned again, looking intently at me. "Actually... you do look a bit like him."

Uh-oh. Had the Deku Tree made me in his image?

"I'm sure it's just coincidence," I assured her, though I didn't share that confidence myself. Next time I spoke to that tree I wanted to find out about this other 'boy without a fairy'. "Now I don't suppose you've got something to eat, do you?"

"Of course we do – did you think we just ran around and played all day? No meat though. We don't hunt anything in our woods."

Well, vegetarian was better than nothing.

I stayed with the Kokiri for several days, meeting them, getting to know them – and their fairies. Like the Kokiri, they had their own little quirks. Once they knew I was safe to be around their wary curiosity quickly becoming stronger. I feigned amnesia, telling them the last thing I remembered was waking up in front of the Great Deku Tree.

Mido didn't approve of that, rightly suspecting that I wasn't telling them something. Mido never really did approve of me, but the friendly attitude of the other Kokiri persuaded me to let it lie. When you're an ageless child like they are, you tend to get set in your ways, and Mido was no exception.

When I was asked to man the shop we found a slight problem. The items there all had signs on them telling prospective customers their prices, but not only were the words written in a language I didn't recognise, the currency was unfamiliar to me as well.

The Twins, who had been watching me on that particular day, quickly got me over those two issues. Since no one else ever came into our woods we never actually had a customer, so rather than actually running the place they taught me instead.

Rupees were the currency of the forest and even the land beyond, which one of the Know-it-All brothers told me was called Hyrule. Rupees were little gemstones of various sizes and colours, the colour signifying the relative value. I shudder to think at the work some gem-cutter had to put into painstakingly cutting each and every one of them.

I picked up the values in short order, but the language was another matter. Spoken it might have been the same, but written was completely different. Some of the letters were not in fact single letters, but represented several words.

We persevered though and by evening they'd taught me some basic Hylian, enough to get by in the unlikely seeming event that I left the forest and survived it. While they knew I wasn't truly a Kokiri, they still maintained that I'd die if I left the forest, just like them.

They did not at any point ask me to guard the exit though. While they treated me like one of them, I was still new among them and not yet fully trusted there yet.

When I wasn't trying to get my head around the sometimes confusing written Hylian, I did various odd jobs for Mido, who never seemed to run out of things to make me do. If it wasn't tidying the newly fallen leaves the surrounding forest left in the clearing our little village occupied, it was washing out the large clay pots or moving the rock circle besides his house.

I cheated slightly on the last one, making it look as if I was lifting them when I was really pushing at them from beneath with my mind. Mido wasn't impressed that I carried those rocks around apparently with ease where others had trouble just picking them up, but that's Mido for you.

One evening when I got bored and couldn't sleep, I decided to go exploring. Not that there's very much to explore in the forest. The Lost Woods weren't exactly off-limits, but not a place I was going to go just yet. Instead I had a look at a collection of fences outside the house of the Know-it-All brothers. The fences didn't have any real purpose, but hidden behind some rocks at the back was a narrow passage.

It didn't take long to clear them aside and squeeze through into a corridor beyond that was very similar to the one I'd taken when I left the Deku Tree. That corridor hadn't had a rumbling coming from around a corner though.

There was a large, round rock, just big enough to fit into the corridor, rolling toward me. Except oddly, it stopped at a junction ahead and without apparent reason, turned aside. Not to be deterred by this, I followed it curiously.

The rock rolled around in a rough square, turning at each corner on its own without any apparent outside cause, ignoring the dead-end alcoves at two corners and a branch that led up a slight slope to a large iron-bound chest. There was a lock on the chest, but either someone had already unlocked it or it was intentionally unlocked.

What did I find inside? A short sword, about as long as my arm with a small red stone set into either side of the guard – the joint between the handle and the blade, that is. Seemed a bit strange to have a big chest with only this little sword inside, but who was I to complain?

This is not to say I felt I actually needed it just yet – but if I didn't take it, who else might come along and find it? That reasoning might have been slightly flawed, since the Kokiri had obviously lived here for years and never taken it.

I didn't tell anyone what I'd found, and I even put the rocks back where I'd found them when I shimmied out again. It had been a short, but very interesting little trip.


	3. A Fairy Simple Request

No one noticed the disappearance of the sword I'd found, or if they did it was decided not to do anything about it. After I asked a few questions about other hidden places in the forest I discovered that the Kokiri either didn't know about the little area I'd picked the sword from, or they chose to pretend they didn't.

They also shared Saria's closed-mouth approach to the previous boy without a fairy, only repeating what she had said – he'd left the forest and looked like me. It was frustrating, but since Mido refused to let me go to the Great Deku Tree there was no one else I could ask about it.

That changed eventually. After my first week there I started to experience the same nightmare every night, always waking me up in the dead of night, which in turn meant I slept in to make up for sleep I lost every night.

It was always the same, the same grassy plain, the same marble white walls and the same thunderstorm. The drawbridge over the moat would clatter down, then a white horse would thunder over it and out into the field. I watched it pass in the dream, oddly appearing as myself rather than with the image I'd been given.

Then there'd be the sense of someone behind me and I'd turn to see a dark-skinned man in black armour astride a midnight black stallion, and for some reason the sight of him shocked me into wakefulness. I had no idea who he was or where that place was, if it was even a real place at all, all I knew was that I wanted to stop seeing him every damn night so I could get a good night's sleep!

Then one morning, exactly two weeks after I dropped in on the Kokiri, while I was happily trying to ignore the songbirds outside so I could sleep I had an unexpected surprise. Not only was there the sense of someone nudging ineptly but persistently at my own mind, but it was the same kind of tiny energy I'd felt when I figured out how to mentally sense the Kokiri's fairies.

There was also a voice in my ear, a tiny piping voice distinctive of all fairies.

"Hey! Silver!" it shouted. "Wake up!"

I didn't recognise the fairy's voice, but it was hard to say really if it was one I knew or not. Not all of them spoke much. I decided this fairy was probably here because one of the Kokiri wanted me to get up, and so ignored it and turned over.

"The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you!" it went on anyway. This did not immediately register in my dozing mind, so I continued to ignore the fairy as it worked its way through. "C'mon, wake up already!" it insisted. "Can our destiny really depend on a lazy hedgehog?"

That turned the trick. I was awake in moments, looking at a blue-white fairy hovering in front of me.

"Hedgehog?" I asked sharply. "Who told you about that?"

"The Great Deku Tree, of course," the fairy replied sounding smug about it.

"Well don't shout it from the treetops will you?" I grumbled, then at long last her earlier remark worked into my attention. "Wait, did you say he wanted to see me?"

"Took you long enough to hear me. I was nudging your mind hard enough."

"How come I've never met a fairy who could do that before?"

"Because I only just learned. The Great Deku Tree taught me."

Just what we needed. A fairy with powers like mine, but no experience with them.

"Did he say what he wanted me for?"

"Not really. He just told me we had to depend on you, and that I'd be your fairy and partner from now on. I'm Navi."

"Not to complain, but-"

"You're not a Kokiri, I know," Navi interrupted, a habit that would grow to irritate me later on. "But the Great Deku Tree says that doesn't matter. You need someone who knows about our world, and that's me. So now you've got to go see him and find out what he wants."

"If I can get past Mido first," I yawned.

So now I had my own fairy and at last I had a reason to persuade Mido to let me go back and see the Great Deku Tree. Navi's knowledge of who and what I was bothered me, but there wasn't really much I could do about it now she knew.

As was my usual habit, I didn't bother with the ladder down from my house, I just jumped and slowed my descent just enough that I'd land easily. It was a good, safe way to keep in practise without attracting attention.

This time though, Saria was waiting for me.

"Have you heard, Silver?" She asked, oblivious to the fairy now hovering around my own head. "Someone came into our forest last night! Mido says he saw a tall man in black armour go to the Great Deku Tree, but when he went to look the man was gone!"

"Is the Great Deku Tree alright?"

"Of course he is," Navi answered for her. "Otherwise how could he have sent me to you?"

"Give me a break, you only woke me up just now," I complained.

Saria watched this exchange with wide eyes, then with a happy cry gave me a sudden hug.

"That's brilliant, Silver!" she exclaimed. "Now you're a true Kokiri like the rest of us!"

"Well, except in Mido's eyes," I replied. "Speaking of which, I've got to persuade him to let me through. Apparently I've been summoned by the Great Deku Tree."

"Oh, I can solve that one for you. He'll want you to get a sword and a shield before he'll let you through. It's his latest way of stopping you getting through."

"Won't he be kind of disappointed if I happen to find those things anyway?" I asked with a benign smile. Saria just giggled mischievously and ran off again.

"Where are you going to find a sword?" Navi asked me.

"Under the bed," I answered, climbing up the ladder right away. "I found it about a week ago. The sword that is, not the bed."

"How did you find that?"

"I came into my house and there it was."

"I meant the sword," she said, sounding exasperated. Oh well. Droll humour like that always did seem to miss her entirely.

"I got bored and went exploring a while ago," I told her. Rather than rummage around under the bed myself, I glanced out into the forest behind me to make sure I wasn't being watched, then persuaded the sword to come to me with a single thought, tucking it under my belt.

Navi wasn't expecting that. "I knew you were a bit strange, but I never knew you could do that."

"If you practise a bit so your touch isn't like a sledgehammer, maybe you'll pick it up," I told her. "You've got a bit too rough a touch right now."

"It was the first time I'd tried anything like that," she admitted. "It isn't as easy as it sounds, is it?"

"You'll get better in time. Now we'll drop by the shop and see who's running it today. If the twins are there, I might be able to persuade them to give me a shield, rather than running more odd jobs for Mido to make the rupees for it."

"Isn't that a bit immoral? You could just buy it."

"I'm feeling lazy today," I answered.

As it turned out I didn't even have to go into the shop. Saria surprised me again just as I crossed the river, hovering in the doorway just out of Mido's sight. She beckoned for me to join her, told me to turn around, then strapped something to my back.

"Just don't tell him I got it for you," she told me quietly. "I have to see the look on his face when he sees you know already."

Mido, predictably, did not take it well. Not only did he have no idea I knew about his new rule, he also appeared not to have noticed Navi. In my best nonchalant tone I saunted over with the benign smile that always seemed to bother him and just said, "Don't mind me. I'm just seeing the Great Deku Tree."

"Hey, wait a moment!" Mido stopped me. "You can't go to see him."

"Why not? He's summoned me. I can't ignore that."

"Oh, how convenient – you want to see him, so you just happen to get summoned."

"Can't help it if it's true, can I? You can ask Navi," I went on, nodding to my new fairy. "She just came from him earlier."

"Navi?" Mido said blankly, then looked up. "You? The Great Deku Tree sent you to _him_?"

All Navi said was, "Thanks for giving me directions, Mido," and we heard a peal of laughter come from the shop entrance.

Mido's expression turned stormy, then completely overlooking the sword in my belt or the shield just peeking over my shoulder where Saria had strapped it on, he tried to rally with, "You couldn't see him anyway. You have to have a sword and a shield before I can let you through."

His own fairy dipped down to his ear, murmured something, then flitted back up again. Mido stared at the shield, then at the sword, then stalked off complaining under his breath about me.

"Did you really ask him for directions?" I asked Navi, setting off once again own the natural corridor.

"Well, someone had to tell me where to find you. He didn't bother to ask why I wanted to know where you lived."

I couldn't help but laugh. "That was cruel."

"Fun though," she added.

The plants that had startled me before shot up again, but since I knew they were there this time they didn't bother me. Navi told me these were Deku Babas, and that not all Deku Babas were as harmless as these were.

The Great Deku Tree of course was no different to the first and only other time I'd seen him, standing in solitary immensity in his clearing. Navi immediately flew over to him.

"I'm back, Great Deku Tree," she called.

"Ah," he murmured in his dry creak. "Thou hast returned, and with Silver too."

"I heard you wanted to see me again," I said. "I was wondering when you'd work your way around to me again."

"All things in their proper time, Silver," he responded. "Thou knowest thou art sensitive to the influences of the mind, though thy skill doth lack as yet. No doubt due to that, thou too have been restless these past nights, seeking dreams only to find nightmares."

"You had them too?"

"And Saria also, for even she is sensitive in her own way. Always before I have stood as a bastion of defence, holding back the tides of evil that pervade the land outside, but against this even I can only do so much. Thus we have experienced the nightmares caused by the rise of the servants of evil."

"You want me to do something about it, don't you?" I guessed. "Because I can leave the forest, unlike the real Kokiri."

"Indeed, that is so. But first, it is time to test thy courage and thy will. No longer canst thou stand aside and watch, but here must thou act before it becomes too late."

"I guess I can't get out of it this time. What's your test?"

"As thou art aware, a stranger entered our woods last night, and laid upon me a curse. I have need of thee to break this curse. Venture forth within me Silver, and thou too Navi to guide him as needed. Take heed of her words Silver, for she knows much of this realm of Hyrule that will aid thee."

Trees are meant to be solid, this I knew. But trees of course, aren't meant to grow a face, or be able to talk. Yet in spite of this, the Great Deku Tree broke off our conversation to open a wooden mouth wide.

He may have been a tree, and to my knowledge there's no such thing as a carnivorous tree, but I had a few qualms about going into the unknown insides of the Great Deku Tree. Navi, however, had already flitted down to wait for me just inside, her light the only thing I could see against the darkened insides.


	4. Inside the Great Deku Tree

**A/N:** Yes, just like in Twilight Fox, I'm forgoing the collectibles such as Heart Pieces and Gold Skulltulas. The various items normally obtained from the House of Skulltula will be found in different ways.

Also, the pouch he finds in this chapter is my answer for how he'll end up carrying around the usual half-ton of tools every Hero needs.

* * *

Whatever I might have expected to see inside the Great Deku Tree, the place was definitely different from. There were ledges and walkways that were just extensions of the tree, some even having grown their own layer of bark. Plants and vines were dotted about, including a few Deku Babas, and even a few flickering torches – torches, inside a tree?!

But what surprised me most were the spider webs dotted around, one even covering a massive hole in the floor. These webs didn't just cover large areas, they were large themselves – it was as if I'd been shrunk down to the spider's size.

The inside reached up a long ways, hardly surprising given the sheer size of the Great Deku Tree. There were more spider webs in the upper reaches along with large spider-like things at certain openings along it, and smaller cousins of them along some of the areas choked in vines.

"A few directions would have been nice," I muttered. "Even a hint about where to start..."

"Maybe that web in the floor," Navi suggested. "It might burn away and let us get down."

"I'm not going to try and light a fire here, Navi. Can you imagine what the Kokiri would do if they saw the Great Deku Tree on fire?"

"Well how else are you going to get through?"

I looked up to the top of this hollow thoughtfully. While there were creatures in the gaps, if I could jump off-

Why was I even considering that? There was no one around that would notice if I cheated a little.

"Keep this between us," I told Navi, then with a gesture – not really necessary, but it's a habit I got into – I wrapped my mind around the air, took it up a ways, then threw it downwards like a concussive blast of air.

The web bowed down as the sudden wind impacted it, but it was after all just air. The web held together, springing back up after it had passed without even one string snapping.

"Well it was worth a try," I shrugged. "I guess I'm not gonna get through this that easily."

"So now what?"

"We go up, of course. I hope there's a soft landing below that web, because I'm going to have to dive down on to it with enough force to break it."

"There's a ladder over there, and you could probably climb those vines," Navi pointed out.

"Who needs ladders when you can do this?" I asked slyly, simply levitating up instead.

I followed that particular ledge around to a second set of vines, which had several of the smaller spider-things on them. I briefly entertained the idea of blasting them off with my mind the same way I'd tried to deal with the web, but what would be the point? If I really wanted to pass them I'd just fly right past them.

There was also another large chest at the base of the vines that, like the one for the sword, was completely empty except for a rolled up bit of parchment.

"Looks like a map," Navi supplied after I'd unrolled it.

"You don't say," I breathed, not meaning for her to hear me. The map showed, once I recalled enough Hylian to understand the letters on it, two floors above ground and another two below. It showed connections to a handful of side rooms, but not much else.

Once I'd memorised it I tucked it into my tunic and moved on past the spiders, following a bridge – had the Kokiri built these? - to a door.

"You know Navi, he never ceases to amaze me. Hollow inside, bridges, ladders and even doors. You'd never expect to find these things in a tree."

"Watch out, Silver," Navi warned as we went through. "That's a Deku Scrub in the floor there."

"It's just a little flower," I protested, more concerned with the bars that had just covered the door behind me. In being distracted by that, I heard the sound of something being spat out, then something hit my leg.

When I looked back, there was nothing there. Just the flower on the floor. This time I watched it though and saw the Deku Scrub pop out of the flower and spit a nut at me. Without thinking, I smacked the nut back at it mentally.

It gave a strange kind of screech, hopping all the way out of the flower. It looked like a bit of animated wood with orange eyes and a round mouth to spit the nuts from.

"Chase it, Silver – if it gets back into the Deku Flower, you'll have to do that again!"

The Deku Scrub had other ideas though, having heard this. It fled immediately, burrowing into a small gap in the wall that I'd never squeeze through myself. The bars over the door behind raised, as did the ones on the door opposite.

"That's it?" I asked. "That's all I had to do? Chase it off to unlock the doors? How does that even work?"

"How should I know? Just remember to listen to me next time I warn you about something."

"Yeah, don't think I'm gonna make that mistake again," I replied, rubbing at my leg where the nut had caught it.

On the other side of the second door was a larger room, this time with a wooden box floating somehow over a crevasse. It wasn't a very deep crevasse, but it was enough that had the box not been there, I'd have had to drop down and climb the vines on the far wall to reach the far ledge. Of course, that figured without me, but after my lack of success with the web I'd decided maybe I shouldn't rely on that.

Out of curiosity I deliberately dropped down to look at the box from below. Nothing supporting it. It was a hollow wooden box, hanging in mid-air.

"Something wrong?" Navi asked.

"It's impossible," I told her. "That shouldn't be just floating there like that."

"Maybe it's magic," she suggested.

"Oh, come on. There's no such thing as magic."

"Don't bet on that," she told me, but didn't say any more.

I floated myself up to the chest, opening it to find a slingshot and a bag of tiny seeds to shoot out of it.

"How convenient. Now I can-"

"Shoot those Skulltulas off the vines and get up safely!" Navi finished.

"I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Do what?"

"Nevermind. Skulltulas, you called them? They look like spiders to me."

"Hey, who's the expert on Hyrule here?"

Can't argue with that. She might not exactly be an expert, but she sure knew more than I did.

Rather than float back over again, I decided to see how stable the box was, jumping easily on to it, then back to the ledge by the door. The box shuddered under my weight, then after I jumped off again it fell to the floor below and shattered.

I'll save you the tedious trip back to the vines I'd seen earlier. The flower the Deku Scrub had been using had gone, as had the gap it had fled into, interestingly. Aside from that observation there was nothing all that different though.

I suppose I could have floated up past the Skulltulas – now that I knew what they were – and ignored them, but there was one on the vines right in the gap I needed to get through, and unless I dealt with it I'd have a hard time squeezing through. The three Skulltulas on the wall gave me some target practise with the Slingshot, at least.

The map had shown a room up on the top level of the Deku Tree. I'd originally planned to just make my way to the top, get the giant spiders – Big Skulltulas, after Navi identified them for me – and jump down onto the web, but I have a methodical kind of approach that can't help but check these little side rooms just in case there's something I'd kick myself for missing.

So just for completeness, I went ahead into that side room. Bars covered the door afterwards, locking me in again.

There was a lit torch lighting up the room along with an unlit one beside it, a raised stone with a moon symbol on it, and a large, lowered area with several suspicious circles in it. A Big Skulltula barred the way to a small alcove in one wall, while on the far ledge there was yet another big chest.

"I'd say use the switch," Navi said, floating over to the stone. "But I don't think you'll need it."

"Can't hurt to find out what it does anyway," I shrugged, stepping on to it. The circles in the floor raised up into platforms that allowed for easy passage to either the alcove or the chest. Navi had been right, I didn't exactly need it, but there's no reason not to do things the proper way instead. No sense in wearing my mind out on trivial things.

This time the chest contained not one but two things. One was a compass that did not appear to point north, the other a small pouch similar to the seed bag I'd gotten with the Slingshot, but with nothing in.

I couldn't see any use for the compass, so put it into the pouch. It didn't even change shape slightly. Experimentally I reached into the pouch, trying to find the sides – and found none. It was as if there was more space on the inside than there was on the outside.

"Well that's useful. A bag with more space than it looks like it should have."

"Good for storing things in then, so you don't get weighed down."

"You really think I'm going to find that much in here?" I asked, taking out the map and stowing it in the pouch too. Again it made no reaction, even though the roll of parchment was clearly taller than the bag.

"Who knows? The Great Deku Tree said you've got a long journey ahead of you, so maybe this is just the first step on that?"

The little fairy is more perceptive than she knew.

While we'd been talking the switch by the door had un-switched itself, rising back out of the floor as the circle platforms shrank back down again. Not a permanent thing, but hardly more than an inconvenience.

The Big Skulltula dropped down to block the path to the alcove, even though without the platforms – or some convenient levitation – I couldn't reach them anyway. For the first time I drew my sword to use on it, only to find it just bounced off.

"Wait until it turns around to show it's exposed belly," Navi advised. "It's not protected like the tough front is."

Sure enough I waited, and it obligingly turned around, practically asking to be stabbed. Two stabs and it fell to the ground, writhed, then vanished in an odd blue smoke. If this wasn't the magic Navi had mentioned, it was definitely something very strange.

After I'd gotten over seeing that oddity I floated up to the alcove and opened the chest for some rupees. What were they doing in here, and what was I going to do with them? I didn't need anything from the Kokiri shop.

"Now what?" I wondered aloud. "There's nothing else here, so how am I meant to unlock the door again?"

"Maybe if you lit the torch?" Navi suggested. "It's not going to set anything else on fire, so I don't think we have to worry."

"What with?"

"Can't you just..." she left it hanging.

"Not me. That's Blaze's trick. If I had a stick or something..."

"That's it! Look down there, by those vines – isn't that a Deku Baba?"

"Yeah, but-"

"When you kill them their stems stiffen into a stick! Just cut it close to the base and it'll be perfect!"

Easier said than done. I was expecting this Deku Baba to be like the ones I'd seen before, harmless things that just shot up out of the ground.

This one however was not so harmless. As I got close it shot up, but the stem bent as the blue bud tracked me, snapping warningly. I stabbed it in the 'mouth', making it snap back upwards, the stem straightening. I took that as my chance to cut it off at the stem, making a low slice.

The bud on the top vanished into the same odd flame the Skulltula had, leaving the stem behind as a stiff stick.

"I did warn you some of them fight back," Navi told me.

"You could have told me that was one of them."

"Well it's not my fault there's no way to tell. What do you want me to do, go up to it and ask if it's going to bite you?"

"Very funny, Navi," I sighed, lighting the stick from the main torch then relighting the other one with it. Once the bars retracted in response to the newly lit up torch, I carefully extinguished the stick by making a slight breeze in the air. Since only a bit of the tip had been burnt away, it too was stashed in the strange pouch I'd found.

With that side room handled and the knowledge of how to handle the Big Skulltulas, I found the nearest of them at this topmost part of the tree, waited for it to present the vulnerable belly, then stabbed it again to finish it off. It dropped onto the narrow, bark covered ledge just outside the webs but quickly fell off, vanishing before it hit the web far below. Somehow, it looked like even further to drop from here at the top than it had at the bottom.

"I _really_ hope there's a soft landing down there," I muttered. "I don't suppose you'd like to fly on down and have a look through, see if you can see anything down there?"

"You're not afraid, are you? This is meant to be a test of your courage, remember?"

"A test is all well and good Navi, but I'd like to make sure no one's going to have to come in and scrape me off the floor."

"Oh, stop worrying and just jump already. You'll be fine."

Some help there. There was nothing else for it, I was going to have to make a leap of faith. The inside of the Deku Tree rushed past in a rush of air, slowed slightly as I hit the soft web. It bent like it had under the force of my will earlier, but with my weight on it, it snapped and I fell the last distance into a pool of water.

"I know I look human, but it's gonna take me ages to get this outta my fur," I complained.

"You wanted a soft landing, didn't you?" Navi said smugly. "Looks like you should be more careful what you wish for."

I chose not to answer that, pulling myself up into a shallower area to look around. The water here flowed through in a kind of underground river, passing through a metal grate in one wall. The walls here were more earth than wood, the wood probably being the roots of the Great Deku Tree.

Had I actually been the Hylian boy I looked like, one half of the room would have been completely inaccessible to me. There was no way a boy like that would be able to find a way to climb up that ledge with the water right in front of it.

What such a boy could have reached though included a small ledge beside the grate which held an unlit torch, a chest and another moon switch, and a lower one with a Deku Baba on and a door behind some more webbing.

I decided since this was meant to be a test, I wasn't going to skip whatever was beyond that door. Alright, so there was no one else around to see anything out of the ordinary I did, but I looked like a boy, so I was going to do it as if I was. Mostly. I can be stubbornly ridiculous at times.

Since there was hardly any way for me to fall on the webs like I had the last one, that left me with only the option of burning them away. Thankfully the walls around it were earthen, so I wouldn't be putting the Great Deku Tree at too much risk. The question was, where was I going to get fire from without reaching over to the other side of the room?

The only thing I could really do was to step on the switch, which solved my problem by lighting the torch. I picked some more rupees from the chest nearby, then took out the stick, lit it and then with a light nudge took a running leap not only over the water, but also the startled Deku Baba to land right in front of the webs. The Deku Baba snapped irritably at me as if to complain about how easily I'd evaded it.

In an impulsive fit of childishness I stuck out my tongue at it while I waited for the webs to burn away, despite knowing it wouldn't do any good. I turned out to be wrong as the Deku Baba drew back at that, then returned the favour with its own plant-like tongue.

Another Deku Scrub awaited me on the other side of the door. This time I was ready for it, quickly taking the shield off my back to block the nut it spat at me, then I chased it down.

"Awh!" I it complained when it realised I had it. "Not again."

"Again – you're the same one I saw before?"

"I thought you wouldn't recognise me. You Hylians never can tell us apart."

"Why did you do it in the first place?"

"It's what I had to do. Please forgive me – I'll tell you something if you'll let me go!"

I found I had no real wish to kill it unnecessarily, so let it go ahead and tell me.

"Up ahead, you'll meet my three brothers," it told me. "You'll never get past them unless you punish them in the right order. You have to hit the second one, then the third, then the first. Remember it like this – Twenty-three is number one!"

Then without stopping to let me ask what it meant, it ran off again into another small crack.

"Corny," Navi noted. "But useful."

"Not for getting out of here though," I added, pointing at the other door in the room, which of course had bars over it.

"Hit the eye-switch above it. Probably best to use your slingshot; I don't think you could trigger it any other way."

"You know, I thought I'd be able to use my powers to make this easier," I told her, picking out a seed and taking aim. "But so far I've only used them for convenience. Doing things I could do normally, but would take longer to do."

"Is that really a bad thing?" Navi asked as the door unlocked. "Maybe you shouldn't rely on it all the time."

"It could come in useful sometimes though – like now."

The room we'd come into had a pool of water in it supplied by several underwater grates. A platform went back and forth over it, only just making it under a rotating spiked log. There was another moon switch in the water, but since the door on the far side wasn't barred off, I didn't see any point to it. The Big Skulltula on the other side wouldn't be a problem, and if I didn't want to float up to the door there was a block I could push aside instead.

I focused momentarily to force the switch to activate as if someone had pushed it, just to find out what it did from the dry safety of the narrow land I stood on, only to find it caused the water level to lower just enough that if I laid low on the platform, I'd be able to make it through.

Naturally I ignored that and floated above the spiked log instead. I didn't trust it not to last long enough. Just as I'd expected, the Big Skulltula was as dumb as all the others, presenting its belly as if asking to be killed, then I shoved the stone block into position. No, not with my mind, not at first, anyway. After I'd lost my footing a few times just trying to push it aside I gave up, braced myself against a wall and pushed with my mind instead. The boots I'd been given were sturdy, well-made boots, but on the floor here they had very little grip.

Beyond the door was – no prizes for guessing this one – another room. A small, domed room that had three torches, two unlit, a Deku Baba and a barred door. Since the door behind me also became barred it was fairly obvious what I needed to do. Rather than re-using the previous stick again, I got a new one from this Deku Baba to light the torches, then like the last one extinguished it and stowed it in the pouch.

The next room, if I recalled the map correctly, had a tunnel that would lead to the other side of the room I'd fallen into. As I entered there was a Big Skulltula facing away from me that hadn't noticed me. Two shots from the slingshot defeated it easily.

I should have looked up as I took in the rest of the room. A few torches, a Deku Baba and a dead-end alcove that had a cracked up wall at the end. If I'd had something explosive I'd be able to find out what lay beyond, but since there was nothing on the map I ignored it.

So I headed into the room taking everything in, then as I headed for the narrow tunnel something thumped to the floor behind me.

"Silver, watch out – that's a Gohma spawn!" Navi warned me, helpfully identifying it for me.

"A dead one maybe," I said, jabbing at the little critter's single eye as it turned red, then a second stab finished it. Swords might be meant for slashing, but this short blade was better for stabbing attacks.

Two more thumped down then. I swiftly stuck each of them in the eye too, quickly heading after one to finish it off while the other scrabbled around on its back, having jerked back reflexively and fallen over. I finished it off by leaping at it with the sword aimed down – a move I later taught Tails in the form of the Ending Blow.

It didn't take long to burn away the web that blocked my path through the tunnel. Navi decided to hide in the green cap I'd been given when I squeezed through there, something she often did when she decided she wasn't needed. I guess it gave her a place to rest rather than flying around all the time.

I brushed the dirt off my knees – well, my Hylian ones at least – as I surveyed the room. It was, as I thought, the one I'd dropped into, but this time I was on the other side. There was another spider web covering an opening in the floor here, and this time not enough room above to fall down on to it.

A handy nearby block was shoved down off this raised area to create a shortcut back here if I ever came back, then I took out one of the two sticks I had. The torches on the side of the room were too high to reach conveniently, and I didn't feel like running to the torch I'd used before and back, so I cheated again, levitating the stick up to a nearby torch then using it to set light to the web. As usual, I extinguished it afterwards.

Below was another pool of water. I decided getting wet once was more than enough so I floated down to the room below instead. Beyond the pool was a strip of land and a huge door, with three tell-tale flowers set in the floor that no doubt hid Deku Scrubs. I sent my mind searching an found, yes, three plant-like energies in those exact same places. I felt Navi do the same, though not as easily as I did.

"Could these be the three that Deku Scrub were talking about?" she asked me quietly.

"Probably," I answered, taking the shield in hand again. As I settled on dry land, the three Deku Scrubs all popped up at the same time, and even spat the nuts at the same time.

I brushed aside the two nuts from the left and right ones, reasoning that they had to be the first and third ones. The second one I reflected back, making that Deku Scrub pop fully out of the flower with a squeak, then I repeated for the third one. This time Navi stopped the nut the first fired at me, though not too well. Rather than just pushing it aside, she caused it to explode in a bright flash instead.

Fortunately the nut I'd reflected had hit the third Deku Scrub, so the detonation only caught the remaining one. Once the afterglares of that flash had subsided I found two of the three had vanished, the last one – or more accurately, the first one – was waiting for me.

"How did you know our secret?" it demanded.

"Oh, a Deku Scrub back up above told us," I answered. "I think he said he you were his brothers."

"Oh, bother!" it said petulantly. "It's so annoying I'm going to reveal the secret to defeating Queen Gohma to you!" Okay. I don't even pretend to know how that works, but who am I to argue? As Tails noticed, sometimes the coincidences are very suspicious.

Anyway, the Deku Scrub told me that to administer a coup de grace to this Queen Gohma I should only strike her with my sword if she was stunned, then it fled.

"Who's Queen Gohma?" I wondered. "Navi?"

"I couldn't say," she replied. "Except that she's probably related to the Gohma Spawn somehow."

"Sounds likely. I wonder what she's like?"

Navi didn't answer. The massive door opened strangely easily, but after it closed behind me with a heavy thud it wouldn't open again.

I was now in a massive vaulted cavern that had very little in the way of light and a low fog that came up to my knees with a slight chill. Scrabbling sounds came from above me somewhere, but in the gloom there was no way to tell what.

Once more I sent my mind searching. If there was something there, I'd sense it. When I found the tell-tale energy the scrabbling stopped and I lost contact with the mind, then the whatever-it-was dropped to the floor in front of me.

It was a massive version of the Gohma Spawn – this was undoubtedly Queen Gohma. Unlike the spawn it looked like she was armoured, her only vulnerable point being her eye.

She reared back to give a rasping screech, which I paid little attention to except to ignore the slight fear that settled in and to take out the slingshot. Queen Gohma, for all her massive size, fell stunned to the floor at a simple seed shot into her eye.

That left her open for me to attack, leaping quickly across the intervening space to start slashing and stabbing away until the great eyelid crashed closed and Queen Gohma turned and ran. I followed until she started scaling the walls again, then I backed off instead. The idea of floating up to meet here for some reason never occurred to me.

Queen Gohma wandered around on the ceiling, visible now as my eyes grew used to the darkness. I waited, putting another seed in the slingshot and taking aim for where her closed eye was. When she reopened her eye I let it loose, guiding it with my mind to make sure it struck true.

Stunned, she dropped back down to the ground again. I chanced things and repeated the trick I'd used on the Gohma Spawn earlier – the Ending Blow – hoping it would finish her off, and it did. She reared back again, rasping and spasming apparently uncontrollably, then she fell to the ground and like the Big Skulltulas and almost all the other enemies I'd defeated so far, burned away in that same strange smoke, leaving behind a glowing blue circle.

It hadn't been the hardest battle, but in times to come I'd wish the later boss room battles were as easy as Queen Gohma had been.


	5. Leaving the Forest

After Navi persuaded me eventually to step into the glowing blue circle rather than try to reopen the door in, I started to re-think my disbelief in magic. The blue glow caused me to rise up slightly as it enclosed me, clearing the view of the cavern I'd fought Queen Gohma in, then I lost all sense of movement for a time.

A little time later the blue glow started to fade, dropping me gently down in front of the Great Deku Tree. If that wasn't a demonstration of just how wrong I was, it was a good attempt at suspending that disbelief.

The Great Deku Tree was, of course, already aware of what had transpired, greeting us with, "Well done Silver, and thou also Navi. Thy courage demonstrated within has been clearly shown. Now, an thou wilt hear me, I have yet more to tell thee."

I answered that by retrieving the rock I'd thrown on my first day so I'd have something to sit on. Navi came to rest once again in the cap he'd given me.

He took that as a sign to continue, so went on, "A man of the desert in black armour cast this curse upon me. Verily, thou dost know this man for he hath haunted our dreams. He seeks nothing less than the Sacred Realm connected to Hyrule, ceaselessly using his sorcerous powers without concern to attain his goal."

"Why does he want to go there?" I asked. "To challenge the gods and become one himself?"

"Nay, brave Silver. The three great goddesses no longer reside in this world, but after having laboured to create this land of Hyrule they departed, and at the place of their departure came to rest the sacred triangles known as the Triforce. It is this that he seeks, hidden within the Sacred Realm."

"They're more than just a sign of their departure then, aren't they? If he wants it that badly, it has to have some kind of power to it."

"Thou art swift of mind as well as courageous," he noted. "Indeed this is why he seeks it. Silver, thou art not of our world, but in thy past have travelled time once before to save the future of thy world. Now I ask thee to once again save a world, for thou must never allow the desert man in black armour to lay his hands upon the Triforce of legend. Never must thou suffer him to enter the Sacred Realm. There lays a great journey ahead Silver, and none save only you may walk it."

I didn't even need to consider it. "I owe you for taking me in anyway. Even if it wasn't for the whole saving the world, you need someone who can leave the forest to handle it – and I'm kinda the only one around you can trust to handle it."

"Glad I am to hear that before I passed over," he sighed.

"Passed over – you mean you're going to... but I broke the curse on you, didn't I?" I demanded.

"Though your valiant effort was successful and the curse was indeed broken, it had run its course already, dooming me before thou didst even begin. I will pass away soon, but do not grieve for me. I can pass on knowing that the fate of Hyrule lays in good hands. Before that comes to pass I tell thee Silver, thou must even now travel to far off Hyrule Castle, for there you will meet the Princess of Destiny that thou must know. And finally... I pass to thee the stone that the desert man wanted so badly he cast the death curse upon me. Protect it with thy very life, Silver."

There was a green flash in front of him as he said that, then at the mention of my name the flash was above me instead, rapidly fading to show an emerald about the size of my fist enclosed in a band of gold that circled it once with a short tail below.

"The Kokiri Emerald," Navi breathed in awe. "The Spiritual Stone of the Forest."

"May the Goddesses bear thee on thy way, Silver," the Great Deku Tree told me, sounding distinctly weaker now. "The fate of the land and its future depends upon thee."

Then as I put the Kokiri Emerald safe not in the pouch I'd found but tucked safely in my tunic where I'd be able to tell where it was, I watched as the immense tree began to turn grey. Even the leaves above turned ashen instead of falling as the Great Deku Tree died.

I could barely believe it myself – he'd asked me to break the curse, but he'd succumbed to it anyway. In the last moments I reached out to find his mind, but the sense of his presence was already too far gone to reach.

"Let's go Silver," Navi told me in a subdued tone. "We shouldn't stick around with such an important task."

I paused before we left the clearing, looking back. Navi had remained behind to say a last good-bye to him. I may have barely known him myself, but he knew me better through that first contact he shared with my mind, and he had felt – perhaps not entirely out of necessity – that I was the one he could entrust this great task to. I took out the sword I'd found and raised it in a silent gesture of respect for the immense tree, then as Navi rejoined me we returned to the Kokiri Forest itself.

Mido of course, completely misunderstood. He was somehow already aware that the Great Deku Tree was dead and naturally blamed me for it.

"How could you do such a thing?" he demanded.

"I wouldn't know," I shrugged. "I didn't do it. You can blame the stranger who came into the forest last night."

"It's all your fault," he blamed me anyway, stalking off out the way.

Without the protection the Great Deku Tree had afforded the Kokiri, the forest had become subtly different. The normal curious friendship the Kokiri showed to everyone was now overshadowed by a sense of loss and despair. In a way I understood – they had been told they could not leave the forest, but they had also lost the central figure in their lives, the reason this forest remained inviolate.

As I passed through the Kokiri kept their distance from me. They may not have blamed me like Mido did, but they knew I was in some measure involved. I didn't exactly ignore them, but I tried not to let it bother me.

I sent my mind searching through the forest for the distinct mind of Saria, but wherever she'd gone, she wasn't in this part of the woods. I'd hoped to see her before I left if nothing else to tell her what really happened, but it didn't seem likely.

Dotted about the Kokiri's part of the forest I could already see tiny shoots and plants that looked like the start of Deku Babas growing, and hoped the Kokiri would be able to handle them, if not remain safe within their homes.

The Kokiri guarding the exit to the forest was stood off to one side staring blankly at the ground. I don't think he even noticed me pass by. That more than anything I'd seen on the way through made me more determined to fulfil the last wishes of the Great Deku Tree. This 'desert man in black armour' had a lot to answer for already.

Through the hollow log tunned was a bridge over another forest area I later found to be a part of the Lost Woods. I didn't pay much attention to it, but I did see the tell-tale fairy trying to hover just out of sight. When it noticed me spot it, it rose up as Saria came into view.

"You're leaving aren't you," she asked quietly. Her usual smile was gone. Even she felt the loss of the Great Deku Tree.

"I have to," I replied. "He told me..."

"I know. He told me about you, Silver. I knew you'd have to leave someday. You're not like me and my friends, not just because of what you are." Nice of him to tell me he'd told Saria. "But that's okay," she went on. "Because friends don't stop being friends just because they're apart, right?"

"Of course not. We'll be friends always, Saria. What would I have done if you hadn't been the first friend I had here?"

"Wandered around trying to get someone to talk to you?" she suggested with a smile, then took something out of her own tunic – a small, beige ocarina. I'd seen one before, though I'd never played it. "Take this with you," she told me. "As a reminder of me. And if you ever need to talk to me..."

She showed me briefly how to play it – not too difficult with only five distinct notes on this ocarina – then taught me a tune that she told me would allow me to speak to her whenever I needed. It had more uses than that – sometimes slightly disturbing uses – but this was the main use of the song.

"I have to go," I told her as gently as I could afterwards. "But I'll never forget you. I can't, not as long as I remember your song."

"Watch out for yourself Silver," she replied, starting back into the forest before she hesitated, stopped, then turned and hugged me before she ran back into the forest. Two slightly darkened spots on the shoulder of my tunic suggested that even though we'd barely known each other, she'd shed a tear or two.

"We should go," Navi reminded me. "Before it gets dark. Monsters come out at night on Hyrule field."

"As long as they don't bother me – or anyone else – I don't really care, Navi," I replied. "I might even go out of my way to exterminate a few of them."

"What will that prove?"

"Nothing really, but it'll make me feel better," I admitted.

On the far side of the bridge was another hollowed out log serving as a tunnel, leading out into a brightly lit natural rocky corridor that was the throughfare from Kokiri Forest to the great Hyrule Field. The place is just a bit different to how Tails remembers it, but it was a long time between my Hyrule and his.

Out of habit I once again sent my mind searching for others. There were a few signs of others out on the field itself, but they were scattered around. As I rounded the corner to head onto the field though I got taught a lesson – don't just remember to look up with my eyes, but my mind too.

"Hey, Silver, up here!" a voice called to me, startling me. There was an owl perched on a branch waiting for me, but no one else around – then to my surprise, the owl spoke again. "It appears the time has come for you to start your adventure."

"An owl," I stammered out. "A talking owl."

"Yes," it agreed. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Does everything in Hyrule talk? Trees, owls – I'm half expecting the walls to start talking to me next."

The owl somehow contrived to look amused. "You really aren't used to things here are you? Well, no matter – you will want to head mostly north to reach Hyrule Castle."

"What makes you think I'm heading there?"

"I was roosting in the boughs of the Great Deku Tree while you were talking. He and I are good friends, and he trusts me."

Once again – how nice of him to tell me these things. First Saria and now this owl...

"Any other useful insights you want to share?" I asked, somewhat snarkily I'll admit.

"Only that should night fall, you will have to wait until dawn to enter the Castle Town, as they raise the drawbridge at night."

"I'd better get moving then, hadn't I?" I replied, then without waiting for an answer continued out on to Hyrule Field.

"I'll be seeing you around later," the owl called after me.

"I hope not," I muttered.

"Don't you like him?" Navi asked me. "He was helpful, after all."

"I just wish people would consult me before telling half the world about me Navi," I sighed. "It seems like I've lost all control over my life since coming here. First I had to trust the Deku Tree and the Kokiri to take care of me, now I've got to stop this man from the desert from destroying Hyrule... I guess I just took it out on him a bit."

"At least we know what direction to go."

"Yeah, 'mostly north' he said. That's not a direction, that's a vague idea." I crested the first hill on that field and started to get an idea of just how big it was. It used to take ages to get around that place.

"You could fly again," Navi suggested, picking up on my distaste for all the walking I was going to have to do.

"Out in the open? All it would take is one sighting and there'd be word in no time of a boy who can float around. I don't think I want to deal with that on top of everything else."

So I set out on the long journey to Hyrule Castle, using the world's own magnetic field to find north. Who needs a compass when you can pick it up yourself?


	6. Hyrule Castle Town

It took me the better part of a day to cross Hyrule Field, not really bothering to follow the worn, winding paths that often took detours around rocky outcrops, fences that served no purpose, and walls that may have been a ruin at some point.

There weren't any monsters around to fight, not even a few travellers around. This vast empty field seemed to be just that – empty.

As I reached the top of another hill nearer the north end of the field I saw a familiar sight – massive marble white walls containing a vast town, behind which was Hyrule Castle. These were undoubtedly the same walls I'd seen in my dream.

Since it was getting on to late evening I wasn't surprised to find the drawbridge had already been raised, and since it had been like that in my dream as well I decided to wait until morning. I wasn't quite ready to face the desert man just yet.

Several skeletons Navi identified as a Stalchild started to dig themselves out of the ground once the sun went down. Rather than fight them directly I just directed a blast at each of them that caused them to fall apart. Every now and then a giant one would show up, but it was the same thing really.

I was definitely starting to tire though, so I picked a nearby tree, shattered a few more Stalchildren, and once I was certain no one was looking I floated up to a strong branch to nap until morning, hoping these things were all that would come out at night.

I bet Tails is thinking rather enviously of me since I quite regularly got a decent night's sleep, where he just kept on pushing through. He'll change his mind when he finds out what happened after I was done in Hyrule – he had it easy in comparison after then.

Sorry Tails. Couldn't resist.

Given how important the Great Deku Tree had suggested my task was, I was concerned about oversleeping. As it happened I didn't have to worry about it, because the tree wasn't too far from a place at the center of Hyrule Field – Lon Lon Ranch. I didn't know its name at the time of course, but like any such place there were roosters there who woke everyone up at sunrise. I took advantage of that more than once.

I had to wait a bit longer for the drawbridge to be lowered, but it had worked out fairly well for me. It gave me time to clear up a little collection of Stalchildren that had been mindlessly trying to reach me from the ground, which in turn was more than enough to cover what I usually did as a kind of daily practise. The only thing it didn't get me was breakfast, but that was easily solved with a visit to a breakfast bar just inside Hyrule Castle Town itself. The supply rupees I'd discovered in the Great Deku Tree were coming in useful at last.

Strangely enough, my appearance in town didn't get much attention. I don't doubt things would have been different had I not appeared to be one of them, but it still seemed odd. As I wandered the market, already busy even at this early hour, I listened in wherever I heard mention of 'the fairy boy in green' while I browsed the wares. Not that there was anything available I needed or could afford. There was a large shield in the indoor bazaar, but it was out of my price range – and besides, it was almost as big as I was.

I gathered that I wasn't the only such boy to appear in the town. There had been another similar to me, but without a fairy. I silently cursed myself for not thinking to ask the Great Deku Tree about the similarities before he'd passed on.

Whoever the other boy was, they knew about as much about him as they did about me. Plenty of speculation and more than a few nicknames – fairy boy, green kid and once even forest brat to name just a few – but very little about me.

"Maybe you should tell them something?" Navi suggested while I looked in a place proclaiming it to be the Happy Mask Shop. It wasn't open just yet, but there was a sign up detailing how it worked – a sign I couldn't read enough of to make sense.

"Let 'em wonder," I replied. "If they want to know they can just ask. I don't suppose you read Hylian better than I do, do you?"

"Sorry Silver. I can't read. Most fairies can't – not really much use for it in Kokiri Forest."

"I guess that's true. Maybe I should have asked the twins for a few more lessons before I left."

"Don't you write anything down at home?"

"Of course I do. It's just written differently, in a simpler language. At least it's the same spoken, otherwise I'd have even more trouble here."

"I'm sure you'd manage. How about heading up to the castle now?"

"I'm getting there, don't rush me."

"It is important, you know."

"So is going prepared," I countered, starting toward the north end of town.

Hyrule Castle actually nestles at the foot of a naturally formed valley behind the town, the surrounding cliffs making it all but inaccessible except through the town. At least until someone there invents a means of scaling them easily.

The path I followed wound through the valley to a guarded gate that was the only way through. I didn't even consider asking the guard to let me through. He'd ask why, and even if he did believe me the chances were he'd just dismiss me as someone else who 'just wanted to see Princess Zelda'.

While I considered mundane means of trying to get past – ah how attractive the idea of floating around seemed now! - Navi spotted a young girl who'd apparently followed me up the path.

"Look there, Silver," she murmured. "Just behind the tree. Can you see her?"

"I can feel her," I replied after a moment to send my mind looking. "I wonder what she wants?"

"If you go over there you could frighten her off."

"Right," I agreed. "Maybe you could fly over instead? She might be more willing to talk to you, and I can try and find a way in."

While Navi flew over to see my curious follower, I decided I needed a better view of the area and climbed a closer, though more scrubby tree. It had probably been left to grow here because it wasn't really tall enough to use as a way of sneaking in, and in any case the guards on the gates would be able to see me.

From the top of the tree I could see the path continue past the gate, where it curved around past a dead-end with a rock and a sign in. Then it toured the edge of the gardens, which stopped where it dropped away to the part of the path I was on as if it had been surgically cut away.

There were several more guards along the path, all of them bored looking and concentrating only on the part of the path in front of them, along with two more alert looking ones stood guard at the open entrance through the iron fence at the edge of the castle. There were no gates, but there was a path and a moat just inside, along with a second drawbridge that would lead into the castle itself, if it were lowered.

I reasoned that if I could avoid being noticed by the gate guards, I could skirt the rocky edge of the gardens opposite the path, then up to a higher ledge that started a ways before the path met it by the castle entrance, and would hopefully conceal me from the sharp-eyed guards there. Then it would be a simple matter to get down the other side and use the moat to hopefully swim past behind them without being noticed and... well, I'd figure the rest from there. I had to get into the castle grounds before I could find a way into the castle.

Navi meanwhile had persuaded the little girl to come out of hiding, waiting for me at the bottom of the tree as I slid back down again. She had a simple white dress and light brown hair that caught the light to seem even brighter.

"You really are an agile little fairy boy, aren't you?" she said once I dropped to the ground. "Almost like a grasshopper – I think I'll call you that!" Better than some other names I'd heard, at least.

"That's me," I agreed, not wanting to correct her and put her off talking to me. "And who are you?"

"I'm Malon, from Lon Lon Ranch on Hyrule field. My dad, Talon, owns it, but he went to the castle to deliver some milk yesterday and he hasn't come back yet." She giggled, then added, "Knowing him he's probably fallen asleep again."

"I'm heading into the castle myself. If you want, I'll see if I can find him and wake him up for you."

"If you do, you stop by the ranch and I'll introduce you to a really special friend of mine, grasshopper. But how are you going to get in?"

"I've been trying to figure that out myself," I admitted. "If I could get from the tree over to the gardens there without being seen, I could get in, but..."

"But the gate guards would see you," Navi finished.

"You need a distraction then, fairy boy," Malon told me. "Something that would get their attention away from this side of the gate, but that means you've got to get to that side to do it."

"Maybe not," I said thoughtfully. "I saw a large rock in a dead-end passage while I was looking around. If it 'happened' to get loose..."

"Silver," Navi said warningly.

"Oh, bother that. Someone's going to find out I can do magic sooner or later."

"But you don't-" Navi started, then caught on. "Oh. Right. Magic."

Malon took this in her stride easily. "What kind of magic can you do? You're not going to hurt anyone, are you?"

"I don't do that kind of magic," I assured her. "The guards might get suspicious if they see me cast the spell," I went on, making this up as I went along. "So I'll have to step out of sight. Can you stay here and watch them for me?"

Malon nodded excitedly, watching from the tree.

"What are you up to Silver?" Navi whispered to me once I'd gone just far enough that the guards couldn't see me. "Magic spells?"

"How else was I going to explain it to her? I need to focus on the rock to move it, and that means I have to direct things carefully – the guards would definitely notice that, so I can't do it where they can see."

"Maybe I can help?"

"Thanks, but I can manage, Navi. Trust me."

I knew more or less where the rock was in relation to me and how far away it was. Since my gloves, even though they were hidden under the Hylian appearance, are designed to focus and amplify my capabilities, gesturing with them makes things much easier.

The appearance of 'casting a spell' was actually just me murmuring gibberish while I took hold of the rock. While I've never been able to see far-off places, I can feel them when I'm working with them like this, and I realised my aim had been slightly off.

Once I got my mind wrapped around the rock I pulled on it only to find it was well lodged in the ground. I had to shift my mind to push it from below, causing a low grumble to come from the surrounding rocks.

"Some guards behind the gate just went to look at the rock, fairy boy," Malon reported. They weren't the ones I was worried about though.

The rock ponderously began to move, so I readjusted my hold on it and started pulling it toward me. It heaved up out of the small crater it left behind, teetered for a moment on the edge, then started to rumble out of the dead end and toward the gate.

"I can see the rock now!" Malon told me. "It's going for the gate... the guards have turned to look! It's clear, grasshopper!"

I slowed the rock enough that it wouldn't break through the gates, then came back to her.

"Thanks for keeping watch for me Malon. I hope you liked my little spell, but I've got to go while they're still distracted."

"If any of them asks me, I'll tell them you went back into town," she promised.

I scrambled up the tree quickly, using a brief burst to make the jump from the top over to the gardens. All the guards were running for the rock, except those who had realised they were right in its path and run away from it. Only the two at the castle entrance had not moved, but their attention was on the scene unfolding by the gate.

While they were all distracted I made a run for it, using another burst of energy to enhance a running jump to make it up to the ledge I'd seen, pausing there to catch my breath.

"Hey, Silver – is that the dead end you got the rock from?" Navi asked me. I looked up, then nodded weakly – it had been a large rock, and moving it had exhausted me more than the running had. "It looks like there's a tunnel behind where it was. I wonder what's in there?"

"I don't think we'll be able to get in to have a look, Navi. Even if the guards don't think I'm responsible for that rock, I'd still have to get past them again."

"Maybe not – look over where the tree is. Isn't that another ledge? And if you follow it..."

"It goes right past the gate up to that dead end. Nicely spotted, Navi. I must have looked right past it because of the guards nearby. We can look later though," I added, getting back to my feet. "We should be able to get into the castle grounds from here."

That turned out to be only too easy. The fence didn't extend this far because the same raised area I was on made it unnecessary, and the guards had figured that – short of someone like me – no one would be able to sneak all the way over to here in broad daylight. I did wonder what they did at night though.

While I wasn't exactly happy about getting wet yet again, swimming through the moat was the only way to get past the guards. Swimming would have made a sound though, so I floated myself cautiously into the water to reduce the sound of that, then found the water's current would carry me past them, and all I had to do was stay afloat. It was almost too easy.

Then would you believe it, the Hyrule Coincidence Committee had conveniently placed Malon's errant father just around the corner. I know he was Talon because he had a bit of parchment pinned to his blue dungarees that said so. At least I knew enough Hylian to read that much.

To further add to the coincidences, Navi spotted a narrow opening in the wall from which water flowed that was conveniently just big enough for me to squeeze through. Can you say suspicious much?

Talon proved to be easy to wake up. I formed the mental idea of a bucket, scooped out some water from the moat, then dumped it over his head.

Hey, don't knock it. It worked.

He woke up with a start, making incoherent exclamations as he tried to wipe the water off him, while I hoped the guards would just think he'd fallen into the moat.

"What in tarnation!" he eventually managed. "Can't a guy get a little shut-eye around here?"

"Maybe if you hadn't left your daughter behind to worry about you, I wouldn't have given you a wake-up call?" I suggested mildly.

"What?" he exclaimed, eyes going wide. "Malon?"

I nodded, "I saw her just outside the castle town waiting for you."

"She's... here looking for me? I'm gonna catch it from her now!"

And with that, he scrambled up and ran off at a fair speed that belied the pot-belly he had.

"That was cruel," Navi commented, shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Fun though," I added.


	7. The Princess of Destiny

After I squeezed through the opening, I emerged in a small decorative fountain within the castle itself, surrounded by a neatly maintained lawn and white walls. I made sure there was no immediate chance someone would catch me, then searched ahead.

"We might have a problem here," I murmured to Navi. "There are people ahead, probably guards. Assuming this even leads in the right direction, we're going to have to do a lot of sneaking."

"But you'll be able to keep track of them, won't you? As long as you know where they are and which way they're looking, it shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"I might be a bit better off than someone more normal Navi, but look down that wall – there are doors there that lead back into the castle. What if someone comes through? What if someone happens to look out of one of those windows higher up and notices me?"

"Just hope you're lucky then?"

I didn't much like trusting my luck, but if I was going to get in to see the princess I didn't have much choice.

The area I was hidden in was separated from the first formal garden by a white stone buttress, and looking cautiously around the corner suggested the same held true for each of the following gardens.

This first one had only one lightly armoured guard holding a pike that looked as if it had never been used. If I could help it, it'd stay that way. He patrolled around a topiary on his own with a hedge separating his patrol route from the wall I was hidden behind, and a second hedge wrapping itself around the far buttress.

He was easy to evade, simply keeping low beneath the hedges while he was on the other side, then quickly heading around the corner to another convenient hedge that allowed me to hide from that guard and the next.

The next area had two more fountains, each with its own guard patrolling around it. I suppose I could have waited until the right moment to sneak past, but I liked my solution better. Some people, either past visitors, the guards, servants or the royal family themselves had put various rupees into the fountains – as if they were wishing wells.

I simply 'persuaded' them to rise up out of the fountain and gather on the far side of them, clinking and dripping against each other. While the two guards quickly ran to inspect them, I ran past to the next formal garden.

That proved to be ridiculously simple. There were some steps leading up to a raised wooden crosswalk above the guard. If I walked over them, the single guard would have heard even my soft boots on them, but I didn't need to do that. I took a chance and floated over it instead, using the crosswalk to conceal me from his view.

That took me on to the next area, which was not a garden or a fountain, but a statue of an imposing looking Hylian – the King, perhaps. I wasn't going to stop to ask the two patrolling guards or try to read the Hylian inscription.

I cautiously watched them from behind the buttress, with Navi keeping a wary eye out behind us in case another sharp-eyed guard saw us, picking up on their patrol until I judged it safe to sneak through and around the corner against another hedge.

The route I was taking took a right turn then. Through the hedge I was hidden behind I could see another topiary around a different statue, along with one guard patrolling it. After a moment to watch a second one appeared.

As I waited for my chance to sneak past them too, I briefly considered suggesting to the princess that she needed to work on the security a bit, but then that might keep me from seeing her if I needed to get in a second time.

Once I was past them I paused to look ahead yet again. There were a few doors leading into the castle that made me edgy, as someone could come through at any moment, but I took the chance and looked into a larger garden ahead that had no guards. Plenty of flowerbeds, an ornamental stream encircling it, but no guards.

There was also a young girl in a very expensive looking white dress peering through a window on the far side. She had a kind of cap, similar in some ways to the green one I had, but also in white and purple, and also seemingly more designed to keep the sun off her neck.

I reasoned she was most likely the princess I'd been told to seek, so still alert for someone who might walk in to see her and find me, I entered the garden to meet her. Where the short archway stopped and the garden proper started, I felt a strange pressure on my mind and a tinny taste in the air, then there was a very brief and small flash.

"Is that what you really look like?" Navi asked. The question alone startled me, already edgy as it was. Sure enough, the Great Deku Tree's image was no longer concealing my true self – with one exception. The clothes he'd given me were still there. Now I realised – he hadn't told me to leave them alone just because I wouldn't fit in with the Kokiri – somehow he'd made these real, and so they weren't subject to any changes I could make.

I quickly looked up to the princess at the window, but she appeared not to have noticed anything. Then I checked the closest guards and it appeared they too hadn't noticed. Almost numbly I stepped back over the threshold again, a few steps before I'd started to feel that pressure and the tinny taste. Another flash and the image returned again.

"Is this some kind of magic?" I wondered. "Something to protect her from people pretending to be something they're not?"

"If it is, it's no kind of magic I've heard about," Navi replied. "The Great Deku Tree once told me that the royal family has access to forms of magic others don't though."

"Maybe that's it... well, nothing for it. The princess will have to see me the way I really am."

It felt unusual, not so much seeing myself again but wearing the tunic. It appeared to have some kind of magic of its own, resizing itself to fit me rather than who I'd appeared to be, and when I'd left this magic field again resizing back to fit the Hylian me.

Since the garden was empty except for us and the princess I made some effort at calming myself, then approached her, trying not to seem threatening at all. I briefly touched on her mind, ensuring I'd be able to recognise it again if I had to. It'd save me at least part of a trip to see her if she wasn't here.

Apparently she felt that touch and turned around, startled, then looked even more startled when she saw exactly what I was.

"Now really, there's no need for that," I quickly protested. "I'm not some kinda monster, you know."

That may have been a bit of a mistake, as that also startled her. We weren't getting off to a very good start here. "You... you can talk?" she asked, then spotted Navi. "Is... that... a fairy?"

"Yeah, that's Navi. She's kinda my guide here, ever since the Great Deku Tree asked her to accompany me."

"Great Deku Tree? Then... you're from the forest?"

I didn't see any point in bothering her any more, so I just answered, "That's right. It's where my home is." Well, it isn't technically a lie – I did have a home there.

Her surprise vanished, turning to a mix of curiosity and excitement. "Then... then... you wouldn't happen to have the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, would you? A green and shining stone?"

"You mean... this?" I said, taking it out of my tunic.

"That's it! I thought so – you're Silver, aren't you?"

Now it was my turn to be surprised. "How did you know that?"

"I had a dream a few nights ago. In the dream there were dark clouds over all of Hyrule, covering everything. Then a ray of light shot out of the forest, parting the clouds and lighting up the ground, then the light turned into a figure that looked just like you, holding that stone – followed by a fairy."

"But..."

"It's a prophecy, Silver," she went on. "I knew your name when I saw the figure in my dream, but I didn't realise it was a name until I saw you. Now I'm certain of it... and I know you're the fulfilment of the first part of the prophecy."

"There's more?"

"Well... there's meant to be, I'm sure of it. But I haven't had it yet." Then she realised that in surprise and excitement she'd forgotten to properly introduce herself. "Oh, where _is_ my mind... I got so carried away... I am Princess Zelda," she said with a formal curtsy.

"It's an honour to meet you," I replied with an awkward bow. "I was asked to come find you by the Great Deku Tree... he didn't exactly tell me why, I just got the idea it was important. I might have... sneaked past the guards to reach you."

"Oh, never mind that. They get complacent if someone doesn't get past them once in a while. Sometimes I sneak out just to remind them of that."

"That's a strange occupation for a princess."

"What else is there to do? I'm at the mercy of customs and formalities. I think I might know why you were sent to me though. There's a legend that's passed down the royal family that tells us the Triforce, left behind by the Goddesses, was left in the Sacred Realm and that the seven sages of the time build the Temple of Time to protect it."

"So it's the way into the Sacred Realm? But how does that relate to me?"

"I'm getting to that, just listen. You won't understand if you don't let me tell it in the right order." Well that told me, didn't it? "The entrance is sealed behind a stone wall called the Door of Time, that can only be opened with the right keys – the three Spiritual Stones, and the secret treasure of the royal family – the Ocarina of Time!"

"So... I got sent here to find out this is one of the Spiritual Stones?"

"That explains why the Great Deku Tree told you to protect it," Navi observed. "If he still had it, that desert man could have come back and taken it after he died."

"Desert man?" Zelda exclaimed. "You don't mean the man I was spying on through here, do you?" she pointed to the window.

"May I?" I asked, and she stepped aside to let me see. I looked in to what appeared to be a richly furnished audience chamber where there were several guards visible. I couldn't see who was holding audience, but I _could_ see the man Zelda was talking about, and I let out a surprised gasp. "That's him! That's the one from my dream!"

"He must be the one who cursed the Great Deku Tree when he wouldn't give him the Kokiri Emerald," Navi added.

I quickly got out of sight of the window – I didn't want him to see me just yet. Zelda seemed not to be bothered by my reaction to him.

"That man," she said. "I believe he represents the dark clouds in my dream. His name is Ganondorf, the leader of the Gerudos who come from the far west. Though he swears allegiance to my father, the King, I'm certain he isn't sincere."

"Silver," Navi said. "Maybe you should find the sense of his mind while he's still there? So you can recognise it again?"

"I'm not going to take the chance he'll notice me, Navi," I told her, shaking my head hard, then saw Zelda's curious look. "I have some unusual abilities, Princess," I explained. "I can do things with my mind instead of with my back – where I come from it's called psychokinesis. Because of that, I can reach out with my mind to find other minds around me – yours, the guards, his – but some people, even without being able to do it themselves, can feel that."

"Then... that's what I felt when I noticed you," she said, confirming what I'd suspected. "If I can detect it, I'm certain he'd be able to as well. He's rumoured to have such terrifying power... and I can sense his evil intentions..."

"Could he be after the Triforce?" I suggested. "If he's after power and the Triforce is as powerful as everything suggests it is..."

"I'm certain of it. I told my father about my prophecy, to try to warn him, but he didn't believe me. We can't let him have the Triforce, Silver! We'll have to gather the Spiritual Stones and claim it for ourselves, then use it to defeat him!"

Oh dear. If only it had been that simple. If I'd had the ability to see the future myself I would have stopped her right there and then and told her exactly what would happen if we did that. Rather sadly, she and I were both rather naïve about it.

As it was, I saw the logic in her idea. "I can go after the other two Spiritual Stones once I know where to find them," I told her, then paused and added, "and with a map, if it's not too much trouble. I've never really left the forest before, so I don't have much idea of the world."

"Just ask Impa, my attendant, when you leave – she'll sort you out with one," Zelda promised me. "And then while you're getting the other two stones, I'll protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power – I won't let him have it! Oh... and one other thing," she added, taking a bit of parchment out of somewhere – I swear that dress of hers didn't have any pockets, and not only did she have a parchment she also for some reason had an ink pot and a quill!

"I uh... I don't read Hylian very well, princess," I said, faintly embarrassed about it.

"It's not for you," she told me, writing away. "It's a letter from me that should let you get through any area you need my father's permission for – like the trail up to Death Mountain." She waved the parchment a little to dry the ink, then handed it over. "You should definitely talk to Impa before you leave, Silver. She knows where to find each of the other two Spiritual Stones, and can get you out of the castle safely without getting caught."

"Thank you for trusting me, princess," I replied, putting her letter safely in my tunic alongside the stone. Tunics are useful things like that – as long as you don't overdo it. "I thought you might be a bit put off by what I am, but..."

"Just because you look a bit like a monster, doesn't mean you are. I'm sure there are others out there who are the same, treated badly because everyone thinks they're monsters."

"You'll be a wise ruler when you ascend the throne, princess," I laughed, then more seriously. "I'll pay a visit again if I need to, but I'll try not to – we don't want to give Ganondorf the idea that we're working together at all."

Zelda nodded in agreement, then turned back to the window to watch Ganondorf.

Impa turned out to be a tall woman in blue who seemed oddly masculine. Strangely, what I remember most about her was that she had red eyes and white hair. That, and her ability to disappear from right out in the open.

She'd appeared by the archway while Zelda and I had been talking, quietly leading me out past the edge of the field that cancelled out the image. Zelda glanced back when the flash happened this time, seeing how I appeared away from there, but apparently understanding.

"You are Silver?" she asked shortly. I just nodded, so she continued, "I am Impa, of the Sheikahs. It is my duty to protect the Princess Zelda. Everything you have heard from her is exactly as she foretold so far."

"She told you the vision then?"

"She did. I overheard your discussion with her as well. You must have courage for this task... though you give the impression of that already. Heading out on this adventure on your own-"

"Hey!" Navi cut in.

"-with only your fairy at your side," Impa went on without missing a beat. "Yes, you have courage. There may be times on your travels however when you need to prove your connection to the royal family."

"I've got the letter she wrote," I pointed out, patting where I'd stowed it.

"That will not always work, Silver. This is where I fulfil my part in the princesses prophecy – I must teach you a song that will prove your connection. Do you sing, Silver?"

"No, but..." I took out Saria's ocarina.

"Good. You are well prepared," she said approvingly. "This melody I have sung as a lullaby for the princess, but it has some mystical power beyond that as well. It has been passed down the royal family, only ever taught to their members, but you will need it on your journey."

She lifted one hand to her mouth and blew the tune, twice so I'd make sure I had it right, then gestured for me to repeat it on the ocarina, just as Saria had for her song. Zelda's lullaby was another simple one, hard to forget.

"If the castle soldiers find you, there will be trouble," Impa observed afterwards. "Let me lead you out of the castle."

"Wait, Impa – you know there's a dead-end route, just behind the gates outside? Could you leave me there instead?"

"Why there?"

"I... moved the rock there as a distraction so I could sneak in, and it revealed a tunnel behind. I just wanted to have a look in there... in case there's something useful there."

Impa regarded me for a few moments, then began to lead the way.


	8. Magic Mind

Impa somehow knew of several secret routes in and out that avoided the castle's staff, pausing by a storeroom to pick up a map of Hyrule for me before eventually leading me out of a door that came out just beside where I'd woken up Talon. From there she escorted me out of the entrance, telling the guards she had caught me trying to sneak in and that she'd take care of me.

Since the rest of the guards were hard at work trying to clear the rock alongside some workmen, Impa used the cover of the workman's tent to lead me up to the tunnel.

"I will wait for you here, Silver," she told me. "Don't take too long – the guards at the entrance may be suspicious if they don't see you leave soon."

"I'll be as quick as I can," I promised her, then squeezed into the tunnel.

It went on for a ways before it gradually started to grow into what was clearly not a natural formation. A corridor made from stones that fit together neatly and tightly, opening out into a vast cavern that had a fountain at the far end.

"There's something there," Navi told me. "I can feel the presence of it."

The fountain was empty, however. I searched it mentally and found, yes, there was something there, something that wasn't like anything else I'd encountered.

Then I noticed something as I approached. There on the stones right before the fountain was the symbol of the Triforce – three golden triangles, one centred above the other two, all within a golden square.

"Impa said Zelda's lullaby had some strange power to it. Maybe... this is a place we'll see it?"

"What gives you that idea?"

"I'm not sure. It's just a hunch I have. Can't hurt to find out, right?"

Navi didn't answer, so I took out Saria's ocarina and played Zelda's lullaby on it.

That must have done something because a high-pitched laugh that started almost like a scream came out of the fountain, followed by a veritable giant of a woman with bright pink hair and the less said about her costume – or lack thereof – the better.

She lounged in the air above the fountain without any aid at all, very similar at a glance to how I do it – she was just more skilled at it than I am.

"Welcome, Silver," she greeted me. "I am the Great Fairy of Magic."

"Magic again?" I said rather half-heartedly. "I'm still not entirely convinced about this."

"Even after what happened at the castle?" Navi asked.

"It could have been something other than magic," I argued. "I don't disbelieve as much as I did before, but I'm not a believer yet."

The Great Fairy, overhearing this, looked at me speculatively. "Perhaps I could change your mind with this, Silver," she suggested, leaning forward to extend one giant hand to me. In it was a small clear gem with a fire core to it. It was warm to the touch naturally, but that was about all I could tell.

"A bit of fire in a stone," I said.

"You hold in your hand the crystallised form of Din's Fire," she told me with a faintly reproving tone. "Din was one of the great golden Goddesses who formed Hyrule, and this remnant of her power was entrusted to me in preparation for your arrival."

"This is what you're trying to change my mind with?" I demanded, waving the stone upward. There was a brief surge from my mind that focused out through my glove, hidden by the image, then into the stone. It glowed red, then an expanding sphere of fire burst out of it around me. Navi and the Great Fairy were unaffected by it, thankfully.

I stared at the stone in my hand, then eventually I found my voice and weakly managed, "It's a very convincing argument." Then I realised where the power had come from and frowned. "Wait a moment. That drew power from me – the same way I do when I used my mind, like when I moved that rock. This is the same thing?"

"It merely comes from the same source," the Great Fairy told me. "For anyone else, it would have but a single effect. Your own mental disciplines may allow you to use this magic in more ways than a simple sphere of fire."

"How remarkable," I murmured with a beatific smile. I had ideas for this forming already. "Thank you, Great Fairy. You've changed my mind easily."

She nodded, then with another shrieked laugh and a flash vanished back into the fountain.

"We should go back to Impa," Navi said. "She's probably wondering what's taking so long."

* * *

Tails sat up, his long wolf tongue lolling out in the wolven form of laughter as he shifted his form back.

"Seriously?" he asked. "That's how you got convinced of magic?"  
"Give me some credit Tails, until then I'd just passed it off as a myth, an interesting twist to a story but nothing real. That little gem changed my mind in a few instants."

"I just had a thought. You know when you were teaching me all those hidden skills, you had me reflect your magic attack back at you?"

Silver shook his head, smiling. "I should have guessed you'd figure that out. That was Din's Fire I used on you. Toned down a bit so it wouldn't actually harm you though."

"So she was right? You could change the effects?"

"I may have come up with a few creative uses for it, yes," Silver admitted. "Now how about I continue telling the story?"

Tails changed back to a wolf, curling up again to listen expectantly.

* * *

Impa said nothing when I rejoined her. Either she didn't want to know what had happened in the Great Fairy's fountain or she knew already.

The great rock I'd shifted early had bent the gates out of shape, but since the guards had workmen who had set up shop on this side there had to be a way through. Impa once again used the excuse of having caught me sneaking in to justify taking me out again, earning me some hard looks from a few guards who recognised me.

They pointed the way out – a ladder just inside one part of the guardhouse that led up on top, then a temporary rope-ladder that let us back down the other side.

As we passed through the market, rather than heading straight out Impa guided me to one side, up some quiet steps where some children were playing, past several odd looking stones that almost seemed to have faces, then round to a massive cathedral.

"Why are we coming this way?" I asked Impa. "I thought we were heading back out of town."

"It was the princess's wish that I show you here. This is the Temple of Time, Silver. When you have gathered the Spiritual Stones, this is where you will meet her. With the Ocarina of Time in her hands and the Spiritual Stones in yours, we may yet protect this land of Hyrule from Ganondorf."

"I certainly hope so," I said fervently. "Better in our hands than his!"

"That is not the only reason I showed you here though," Impa confided. "The princess is not the only one subject to visions. We of the Sheikah also experience this, and it is a vision I have had that I must pass on to you, Silver. I have seen you within the Temple of Time, clad not as I see you before me now, but within the appearance of an adult Hylian instead. With you and your fairy were two others who I do not recognise. One a two-tailed creature who bore the same green as you do now, another a green creature much alike a hawk."

Tails and Jet, obviously.

"I do not know the meaning of this vision, Silver," Impa went on. "But perhaps it was for you to fathom, and not I. Now, take a look beyond the Temple of Time to the mountain beyond – that is Death Mountain."

"Welcoming name," I remarked. Impa pretended not to notice, but I spotted the faint twitch that suggested she almost smiled at that.

"On that mountain you will find the home of the Goron tribe. It is they who have the second Spiritual Stone. You will have to pass through the village at its base, my village, Kakariko. I would talk with some of the villagers there if I were you – they may have useful advice to offer before you scale the mountain."

"What about the third Spiritual Stone? Where will I find that?"

"It is held by the Zora tribe in Zora's Domain to the north of the forest you came from. You cannot reach it through the forest or Kakariko, only from Hyrule Field, though rumours abound of alternate routes. In both of these places you will need to prove your connection to the Royal Family. Do not forget the song I have taught you, Silver. Now, go – you have a long journey ahead of you. I will remain here with the princess."

Once I got back out on to Hyrule Field I took out Impa's map. Kakariko was reachable by a bridge just east of where I was, and Zora's Domain a bit further east from that, reachable across the river that weaved across the field and provided the water supply for Hyrule Castle Town. Death Mountain, just as Impa had told me was to the north of Kakariko.

Also marked on the map was the Kokiri forest in the east, Lake Hylia in the far southwest where Zora's River finally ended up after weaving around the edge of Hyrule Field, and Gerudo Desert to the west.

Yes, I know that's different to where it is in Tails' Hyrule. Whoever drew his maps had them back to front though. I could tell which way was north, and I could also tell this map was right – its in the west, not the east.

Either that, or Hyrule underwent some massive changes during the time between my visit and his.

Anyway, the map also marked Lon Lon Ranch in the centre of Hyrule Field, and I made that my first destination. Saving the world was all well and good, but I figured that if the Gorons and Zoras had reacted similarly to the Great Deku Tree, then Ganondorf would have given them their share of troubles because they wouldn't give him the Spiritual Stones. I had time to drop in and see Malon and Talon.

Lon Lon Ranch is not technically a farm. There weren't any crop fields, at least. It raised cattle, horses and chickens which Talon insisted were actually Cuccos. When in Hyrule, call them as the Hylians do.

When I found him he was, quite naturally, sleeping again. This time amongst a gaggle of Cuccos. He wasn't so hard to wake up this time, thanking me for waking him at the castle and giving me a free bottle of their apparently famous milk – and telling me I could keep the bottle afterwards.

In one of the stables I found a grumbling farm hand named Ingo who complained loudly that Talon did no work, leaving Talon to raise the horses and him to raise the cattle. I decided it was probably best not to bother him while he was in mid rant, not since he was shovelling dung at the time. I didn't want him to vent on me by throwing some at me. You never know, some people do odd things.

I finally found Malon in a large horse pen with many horses in, some grazing, others racing each other, and one smaller horse that seemed quite happy to just nuzzle at Malon. Malon had been singing to herself, the horse apparently listening until I approached. Then the horse sniffed once at me, turned and ran off.

"Looks like Epona doesn't like you very much, fairy boy," Malon observed, breaking off her song. I'm sure Tails will recognise the name of the horse.

"It's probably the magic," I replied, overlooking that in actuality Epona could probably tell I wasn't what I looked like. "I see you got Talon back here safely."

"He was so sorry about leaving me to wait," Malon laughed. "He went out of his way to make it up to me. Did you get in to see the princess?"

"All the way in, even past the guards inside. She told me it was just as well I did, because it stops them getting to complacent about their jobs. Last time I saw them though they were trying to remove the rock I gave them. They didn't seem to appreciate the present."

"I wonder why?" Malon giggled. "What are you going to do now?"

"I've got a few more errands to run," I sighed. "and a lot of walking to do with it."

"If Epona was a bit more grown up, you could borrow her."

"If she wasn't afraid of me," I added.

"Oh, I can help with that. That song I was singing helps." I had a suspicion I knew what was coming next, so as she went on, "If you sing, I can teach you the song," I was already drawing out the ocarina once again.

"Think maybe I could play it on this instead?" I suggested.

Malon sang the song again, and I played along on the ocarina. It may have had only a few notes, but I quickly discovered it was possible to play far more than was immediately apparent. Epona, hearing her song, came back to join us, no longer afraid of me.

"When you grow up, I'm sure she'll help you get around quicker," Malon told me while Epona nuzzled at me instead, now nibbling on a few stray strands of hair.

"I'll have to grow up quick then, won't I?" I answered. I didn't mean it seriously, but if I'd known... isn't hindsight useful?


	9. Roasted Redead

**A/N: **In homage to what was probably nearly everyone's reaction to the Redeads when they first saw one, Silver has a similar response - though with more amusing results.

Also I'm aware you don't get the Hylian Shield in the Royal Family's Tomb, but I decided one graverobbing was enough, particularly given how he feels about Redeads.

Enjoy.

* * *

Kakariko Village is very different to how Tails saw it. When I visited it was a small collection of houses scattered rather haphazardly around, some still under construction. In places rocks had been removed to make the foundations of houses that were not on level ground. The result of this was, much like Hyrule Castle, a village that was spread over flat areas that frequently stopped as if they'd been cut away.

As Impa had suggested I ask about for advice before heading up the mountain, I did just that. When one villager told me I'd need to have the King's permission to go up Death Mountain, I also got told that if I really did have something to do with the royal family I'd see their grave in the graveyard behind the windmill. A bit of an odd suggestion, but unknowingly a very good one.

There was a woman raising cuccos not far from the entrance to the graveyard, except her cuccos had escaped and she couldn't go after them because she was allergic to them. And she wants to raise cuccos? I'm seeing a bit of a failure of logic here.

It didn't take me long to find and retrieve all her cuccos, earning me an empty bottle from her and a better idea of the layout of the village while I was at it. Along the way I stopped by to talk to the guard who was standing guard by the gate up to Death Mountain, who confirmed what I'd been told – I needed permission to go up there.

"Even if I did let you through," he told me, "You should at least equip a proper shield."

"What's wrong with the one I've got?"

"Death Mountain is an active volcano. Taking a wooden shield up there..."

"Point taken. I'll start saving for the shield I saw over in Hyrule Market."

"Tell the guy at the bazaar I sent you. He'll give you a discount. Not that it'll get you up here any quicker..."

I could have shown him Zelda's letter there and then, but he had a point. For now at least, I wasn't ready to head up there without another shield, so I took the earlier advice and paid a visit to the royal family's grave in the graveyard.

Strangely, the site of the grave seemed to have its own private patch of rain over it. I visited that graveyard a few times, and every time the rain was there no matter what the weather in the rest of the graveyard.

Right in front of the grave was a patch of dirt identical to the symbol in the Great Fairy's fountain.

"What harm can it do?" I wondered aloud, taking the ocarina out. "In a way, I've got royal permission, right? It's not like they're going to come back from the dead, as long as I don't desecrate anything."

"Have you ever seen a Redead, Silver?" Navi asked me.

"You tell me, you know about every kind of creature I've seen here in Hyrule. What's so special about them?"

"You mean aside from being tough to kill, having a scream that will stun you and trying to latch on to you to suck your life?"

I stood in the rain with the ocarina half raised for a moment, then sardonically replied, "Thanks for that, Navi. I feel so much better for knowing about those creatures. Now I just have to hope they don't wander into a nightmare."

"Not going to see what happens then?"

"I'm not sure I want to after hearing about these... Redeads, you called them?"

"You don't know that you're going to meet any for certain," Navi pointed out. "Maybe playing the song of the royal family will just call up the ghost of one of them who'll help us?"

Ever the optimist, that fairy. If only she'd known – and me as well – I'd have run from that graveyard and happily gone and bought a Hylian Shield instead. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

With some reluctance and rain dripping from both my apparent hair and the tips of my quills heavily, I played Zelda's lullaby at last. Nothing seemed to happen at first except the little storm here growing and intensifying into a thunderstorm, complete with lightning that started to strike uncomfortably close.

The gravestone in front of me started to glow brightly, crackling as sparks skittered over its surface, then a bolt of lightning struck it and destroyed it with an almighty crashing boom, leaving only a small hole where it had stood.

I muttered a few choice words about this, lowering myself into the hole. After hearing about Redeads I wedged myself carefully against the edges of the hole keeping a very close eye on what was below me and Din's Fire in one hand just in case. I really did not want to land on a Redead.

Fortunately though, the only monsters around in the narrow corridor I landed in were a few keese, batlike creatures I later learned had an annoying resistance to the elements that would allow them to survive being frozen or set on fire.

The slingshot dealt with first couple, so I continued on into a larger cavern filled with sarcophagi, each one with an effigy of its occupant adorning the top. Several of them sheltered more keese, which I ignored at first until I saw a door ahead was barred. It had two unlit torches on either side of it.

Din's Fire conveniently lit the two torches, dropping a chest into the room but leaving the door locked. It didn't take me long to locate the remaining keese and defeat them too to unlock the door. The chest held rupees, enough to fill my wallet a bit more if I still had to buy my own Hylian shield.

On the other side of the door the blue corridor at the entrance continued down a ways and into a room I could see had some sickly green liquid in it, in places rising in a green haze. I started down the slope to that room, then froze when something groaned.

"Tell me that isn't a Redead," I whispered. I had no idea how poor their hearing actually was.

"Okay. I won't," Navi replied.

I stared at her for a moment, then caught on.

"Thanks, Navi. I'm regretting coming in here already."

I held my sword in one hand, Din's Fire comfortingly in the other, and slowly continued down. My mind couldn't find anything in the room, but given that Redeads are, well, dead, that's not surprising.

Before I even emerged fully into the room I saw one on the far side, a dessicated corpse that seemed to be hunched over, clutching at its knees like a terrified child. There came another low moan, closer this time. I peeked around the corner into the room one way seeing a Redead that was thankfully further away from me, then looked the other way and suppressed the urge to scream at the Redead shambling for me.

Stop laughing at me. You'd have had a hard time not screaming if one of those things came for you unexpectedly. I've never exactly been partial to the undead, but those things are easily nightmare material – not that you want to share a nightmare with them.

That may explain why I was somewhat excessive in my response. I had intended to just sear the Redead with Din's Fire, but probably from nerves I overdid it a bit, channelling far more than was necessary into the stone then out at this Redead. The Redead vanished in the resulting blast of fire, then when I was fairly certain I'd done enough I let go.

The Redead was gone. There were a few ashes in the air that might have been what was left, but there was no real way to tell. Around where it had been and particularly the wall behind had been blackened by the onslaught of fire, the only bit saved was a Redead-shaped mark on the wall.

When I eventually recovered not just from the startling sight but what I'd done as well, I pulled myself together and made sure the other Redeads hadn't come after me. Then I sent a considerably less overpowered wave of fire around the room to destroy them from the relative safety of the passage I still stood in.

I think that might be the point I decided never to get anywhere near one of those things. Sometimes they still managed to surprise me by showing up unexpectedly, but for the most part I eventually got over that initial fear of them – as long as they were away from me, that was.

With the charbroiled Redeads gone I picked my way around the pits of slimy water and left the room behind to enter the next chamber, well lit and clearly Redead-free. A wall of Hylian text was engraved on a wall, along with a scribbled musical bar below that appeared to be a song.

I struggled with the Hylian, trying to figure it out as I read it.

"Rising sun... eventually fade... something about life-"

"You really aren't very good at reading Hylian, are you?"

"Never pretended to be," I replied absently. "Sun to moon, moon to sun... and something about the dead. I guess it'd make more sense if I could read more of it. Definitely something about the sun though."

"Maybe it's something to do with the song below?" Navi suggested. "Maybe you should try playing it on your ocarina."

"As long as it doesn't give me any more Redeads to deal with," I replied. It took me a few moments to figure out the song, but I definitely knew when I'd gotten it right. Somehow the room had been made to tell, because as if in response to it a larger chest dropped down nearby. When I opened it I found a Hylian Shield.

"Almost makes it worth having come in here," I muttered. It was a bit big for me to use the same way as the wooden shield Saria had bought for me, but that wasn't going to be an issue. I could hold it with my mind instead if I had to, so I strapped it into place on my back then found out the pouch that seemed to be infinite inside.

"It's not going to fit, Silver." Navi observed.

"I noticed. I wonder if it stretches though."

"If you tear it you could lose everything inside."

She had a point. I emptied it of everything I'd put inside, finding that somehow whatever I expected to find was always right near the top of that infinite space, then carefully stretched it over the shield. An action that turned out to be unnecessary, as the pouch seemed to grow on its own to accommodate whatever I wanted to put inside.

Then I refilled it and made my way out with Din's Fire back in hand, just in case there were any more Redeads around. I _really_ didn't want to see another one of those anytime soon.


	10. Darunia the Dancer

Having now gained a more sensible shield for scaling Death Mountain and no real inclination to find out if there was anything else in the graveyard worth looking for, I decided I'd had enough of the place and headed back into Kakariko Village. The only thing I had left to do for now was convince the guard at the north end of the village to let me through the gate.

He recognised me, and looked approvingly at the new shield I had. I didn't bother to tell him I hadn't actually bought it, but what he didn't know...

Anyway, without any preamble I took out Zelda's letter and wordlessly handed it to him.

"Hm? What's this? Are you a postman now, boy?" he asked with an amused smile, reading the letter. "Lets see now... 'This is Silver'," he read out. "'He is under my orders to save Hyrule. Signed, Princess Zelda IV'." His expression grew steadily more amused as he read until he was laughing heartily by the time he finished. "What kind of game is our Princess playing now?" he chuckled as the laughter subsided.

"You'll let me through then?" I asked.

The guard nodded, still trying not to laugh again as he rapped his pike on the ground. At that signal, something hidden out of sight caused the gate to start to retract.

"Just be careful up there, Mister Hero," he told me.

"You know Navi, maybe I should have asked Zelda what exactly she wrote before I started waving it around," I muttered as I started up the rocky trail. "Somehow going around advertising that I'm saving the world seems to me like a bad idea."

"It worked, didn't it?" Navi replied. "Now we just have to find the Gorons and ask them if we can borrow their Spiritual Stone."

"I hardly think they're going to just hand it over-" I broke off as a... well, I'd call it a spider-thing but it had too few legs. It was red with yellow legs, one red eye and was jumping toward me.

"Tektite!" Navi told me. "Stab it in the eye, Silver!"

"Easier said than done!"

The stupid thing kept jumping right over me. I'm not sure whether it was trying to ram me or eat me – not that I could see a mouth on it. Rather than aiming for its eye though I stopped trying to stab there and just jabbed at its belly instead. Two wounds there and when it landed it sank down, died then like everything else vanished in that odd fire.

"Well that was fun," I remarked afterwards. "Seems like I'm going to spend half my time fighting off the monster population. Doesn't anyone do anything to keep them down?"

Tails once made a similar observation, as I recall.

I glanced back down to Kakariko Village behind me after fighting the Tektite, then continued up the mountain trail, frequently searching ahead. After two more Tektites I was finally out of sight of the village so I decided there was no harm in cheating a little. Tektites from there on quickly found themselves trying to jump in mid-air, where a few shots from the slingshot finished them off. I chose not to use the seeds that had come with it but small loose rocks instead – no point in wasting ammunition when there's alternatives nearby.

At the top of the first part of the trail there was an immense rock, even larger than the one I'd given to the castle guards, surrounded by a number of smaller ones, and one very odd looking lighter brown rock.

To my surprise, as I approached the rock stood up – it had a face, arms and legs – was this a Goron?

"Oh," it said, seeing me, sounding disappointed. "I thought you might be the one who did that."

"That?" I asked, cautiously. "The rock?"

"It was put there because Big Brother Darunia wouldn't give up the Goron's Treasure to a man in black. Behind it is Dodongo's Cavern, where we used to get the most delicious rocks from to eat."

That confirmed it – this was my first Goron.

"Where would I find Darunia? I think I need to talk to him."

"He'll be up in Goron City," the Goron answered. "But he won't let you in to see him. He's waiting for a messenger from his sworn brother, the King of Hyrule."

Then it yawned and curled back up again, looking like a rock once more.

"How convenient," I murmured. The trail continued upward behind me, almost parallel to the first part of the trail. "It looks like Ganondorf didn't get his hands on the Spiritual Stone. I wonder why they don't just eat the rock?"

"Maybe it tastes bad because of Ganondorf's evil powers?" Navi suggested.

"Why would that have an effect on how a rock tastes?"

"What am I, a Goron or a fairy?"

"Sorry," I laughed. "I guess I forgot you don't know everything."

"I'm working on it though," Navi added.

As I continued to follow the trail up I saw another Goron, or at least it looked like a Goron and when I reached out I felt the energy that suggested it was a living being. It felt slightly different to either a Hylian or Kokiri, but that was about all.

There was an area just beyond him, off the trail that I could have gone up had it not been for more rocks in the way. I suppose I could have moved them, but with this Goron here, even curled up and apparently not paying any attention, I didn't want to seem out of the ordinary.

I needed to talk to Darunia anyway, and after struggling with a sign along the trail I figured I wasn't going to find him up there. The sign pointed ahead to Goron City once I started to get my head around the language again.

The trail wasn't much longer after that. A raised area with a circle of rocks marked the entrance to Goron City, the gates beyond looking almost as if they'd been opened once then never touched again. A short and clearly man-made – sorry, Goron-made – tunnel led inside the mountain to the vast cavern that was Goron City.

It was arranged in flat descending rings, the only accesses to lower levels through side corridors. Several times I came across a corridor in progress with Gorons around either resting or digging, often eating the rubble as they went along. I guess that's one advantage to hiring them as diggers.

Rather inconveniently, the Gorons didn't put up any signs, and since the Gorons were all hungry and therefore either trying to sleep until food became available or digging just for the sake of being able to eat something, I couldn't even ask them for directions. I was more or less obliged to wander the city until I found what I was after.

During that exploration I found a massive Goron who was named not Biggoron – who lived outside because of his even bigger size – but Medigoron, who had apparently failed to take into account his considerable size when finding his workshop, and so whoever entered said workshop only ever got to see a massive Goron head resting on his arms.

He was friendly though, and also not bothered by the apparent shortage of rocks from Dodongo's Cavern.

"It's not often we get visitors up here," he rumbled after I'd introduced us. "The King keeps people away because of Death Mountain."

"I had special permission to come up here," I told him. "I've got to speak to someone, Darunia I think, about getting the Spiritual Stone of fire."

"You definitely want to talk to Darunia then, but he won't see you."

"So I've heard. If I could prove I've got some connection to the royal family though, would he let me in, do you think?"

"Probably," Medigoron replied after a moment to think. "He's in a bit of a bad mood though. I don't envy him for all the problems he's got right now. Even his distant cousin, the Goron Elder of the Goron colony in Termina, can't get a message in to him right now. The messenger Goron has all but given up entirely."

"I guess I can't blame him, but I really do have to see him. Where did you say he was?"

"Down on the lowest level – just look for the carpet. It's the only one in Goron City, so you'll know it when you see it. Be careful of the bomb-flowers growing around the city though, they're prone to blowing up when disturbed." Then he peered closer at me, spotting my sword. "Say, that's a tiny little sword you've got there. If you were just a bit bigger I'd be able to sell you a sword I've been working on. I could re-forge that one for you, but I'm a little short of materials with Dodongo's Cavern closed off."

"Thanks anyway, Medigoron. If it gets reopened anytime soon I'll be sure to stop by so you can work on it."

"You're welcome, little friend. If you happen to see my brother Biggoron, tell him I'm still ahead of him, will you?"

"Will he know what you mean?"

"Of course!" Medigoron laughed, the small cavern shaking slightly. "It's a bit of professional rivalry. I've almost perfected my sword, but the last I heard he was still forging his."

I promised to pass on his message then left him to what work he could do with his limited supply of materials now I knew where to go. It had been an interesting and useful conversation, and I learned from it that Medigoron was often a good source of gossip. Other Gorons knew he didn't get around much so brought the local news to him.

Just as Medigoron had told me, there was a carpet in front of a very rocky wall. It was dusty and rough, probably from heavy Goron feet, but I could make out the by now familiar Triforce symbol on it.

Zelda's lullaby gained me entry, the rocky wall shuddering aside in a shower of dust to reveal another short tunnel, at the end of which was a chamber that, by Goron standards, you'd call well furnished. There was a Goron there who looked considerably different to other Gorons. While he did not have the massive size of Medigoron he was bigger than most, with a rocky kind of mane and markings on his heavy shoulders that I assumed was some kind of hereditary mark of the Goron leader. This had to be Darunia.

Before I'd even had the chance to say anything, Darunia let loose a great roar of, "What the heck! Who do you think you are, coming in here?"

"I'm-" I started, but he was already going on without a care for what I said.

"I heard the song of the royal family and thought their messenger had arrived, but you're just a little kid! Have I really lost so much status to be treated like this by my sworn brother, the King?"

"No, I just-"

"Now I'm _really_ angry!" he bellowed, growing even louder than before. "Get out – before I throw you out!"

"Now wait just a moment," I protested, backing away from this furious Goron. "Why are you so angry at me?"

"You're asking me why I'm angry? You?" he stopped and seemed to get control of himself with great effort, then still clearly in a foul temper he went on, "Ancient creatures have infested Dodongo's Cavern! We've had a poor harvest of the Goron special crop, the Bomb Flowers! Starvation and hunger because of the rock shortage! But these are Goron problems, and we don't need any help from outsiders!"

"So... why are you waiting for a messenger from the King if you don't need help?"

Darunia glared at me then with a vast shout, "Get out, you little brat!"

Redeads might have scared me, but an enraged Goron up close is even more terrifying. I didn't want to find out just what he'd do to me if I stuck around, so I fled back into the city.

"Maybe I shouldn't have asked him about the messenger," I conceded once my heart had stopped racing. "But now what am I going to do? I can't do anything with him like this, and we need the Spiritual Stone."

"We could ask Saria," Navi suggested. "She and the Great Deku Tree used to talk a great deal. Maybe she's heard something that could help."

"It's a little late in the day to be trekking all the way back to the forest, Navi."

"Did you forget already? She taught you her song so you could talk to her wherever you were."

I felt a little foolish for not thinking of that, so stood near the entrance to Darunia's chamber I lifted the ocarina again and played Saria's song.

"Silver?" Saria's voice came in the air. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, I... need to ask your-"

I was interrupted by a roar from Darunia's chamber that was undoubtedly him.

"What was that?" Saria asked.

"The problem I'm having. That was Darunia, the Goron leader, and I need to talk to him, but he's in a foul mood."

Before Saria could say anything else, Darunia stomped into view.

"Get back in here, little boy!" he roared.

"I'll call you back after this," I whispered to Saria, cautiously following Darunia back in.

"What was that song you just played?" he demanded.

"It's a special song I was taught by a friend," I explained quickly. "It lets me talk to her wherever I am. If it offended you I'm sorry, I'll go somewhere else and-"

"No – play it again. Right here."

This surprised even me. "You said what?"

"Play. It. Again," Darunia repeated, emphasising every word. No way I was going to ignore that!

So I played Saria's song again. I'm not entirely sure what happened next, but I'm fairly certain it was part Saria's doing and part magic, because after I finished playing the song started again, coming from all around us as if some phantom musicians had started to play.

Darunia's fury faded as he cocked his head to listen to the music playing, then quite suddenly he started to dance, arms flailing around. He may not have had much grace, but he managed to keep time with the beat.

I just backed warily away. Not just because of his reach, but because this was quite possibly the crowning moment of strangeness so far. A dancing Goron... well isn't the kind of thing you expect to see every day.

When the music finally faded away and Darunia's jig finished, there was a broad grin pasted on his face.

"What a brilliant tune!" he exclaimed, the volume having dropped significantly. "Just like that, my depression is gone! I don't know what came over me, but I felt like dancing like crazy all of a sudden. As thanks for that, I'll be happy to listen to what you have to say, little man. What brings you to I, Darunia?"

"Well, not to upset you again, but... I'm after the Spiritual Stone of fire," I answered.

"You're after it too, huh? The Spiritual Stone, also known as the Goron's Ruby is our hidden treasure, so I can't just give it to you, not even for lifting my worries. If you want it so badly..." he paused to consider. "Yes," he finally said to himself. "Why don't you destroy all the monsters in Dodongo's Cavern and prove you really are a man? You should be able to destroy the rock at the entrance with a bomb-flower from the cliff just outside our city – but don't waste them, we only have a few bomb-flowers sprouted right now."

"So if I clear out the cavern, you'll give me the Goron's Ruby?"

"I'll be happy to! We'll have access to the rocks in the cavern, and the prime Bomb-flowers inside to get our crop back in order again! Everyone will be happy again if you do that. You'll need this though," he told me, handing me a small golden bracelet from a shelf nearby, adorned with an engraved symbol matching the ones on Darunia's shoulders.

"What is it, exactly?"

"The Goron's Bracelet – with this, even a little guy like you will be able to pluck a bomb-flower from its roots, and even lift heavier things than before!"

"Thanks, Darunia – I guess I owe you for this?"

"Nonsense! Chalk it all up under repaying you for the song!"

It was almost a disturbing change to see him go from one extreme to the other, but it had been productive. I wasn't too happy about having to clear out the Dodongo's Cavern, but at least it would be worthwhile.


	11. Dodongo's Cavern 1

**A/N: **Welcome to Dodongo's Cavern - which is going to be split into three parts because of the length of it. The Great Deku Tree is short, this place on the other hand is much longer. The next two pieces will go up as the daily chapters for the next two days.

Enjoy!

* * *

On my way out of Goron City I paused by several walls that had cracks in them showing something on the other side, almost always with Bomb Flowers growing nearby. At first I didn't think I would need the Goron's Bracelet to pluck one but after struggling to uproot one without it no matter how much I used my mind to cheat, it stubbornly stayed firmly rooted. By contrast, just wearing that bracelet let me pick one up as if it had just been lying there.

On the other hand, severing it from its roots also made it start to hiss, just like the fuse of a bomb. I used the Bomb flowers to open up several tunnels, keeping clear of the considerable blast they had and picking up an idea of how long their fuses were. During that I found a Goron run shop which sold Bombs, but not Bomb Bags. For now I'd have to continue to use Bomb Flowers where they were available.

They also sold the Goron Tunic, similar to the one I wore but in red and apparently with some magic woven into the fibres that made it highly resistant to heat. Inconveniently, I couldn't get this either – not only was it way out of my reach at 300 rupees, but it was also designed only for adult Hylians. Gorons, of course, had no need of it themselves – it was entirely for the benefit of the Hylian populace.

There was nothing else for me to do in Goron City itself though, and I did have a quest on my hands. If I wanted to get the Goron's Ruby I'd have to clear out Dodongo's Cavern, and I started to suspect that I'd have to go through something similar for the Spiritual Stone of Water as well.

Darunia had mentioned some bomb-flowers growing on a cliff just outside the city, and I found them in short order. There was another hungry Goron there who warned me away from the edge, telling me that a soft little person like me wouldn't be able to survive the fall unlike the rocky Gorons. When I looked down, I saw he had a point – it was a long old way down to the rock that blocked Dodongo's Cavern.

There were only two Bomb Flowers out here, and one was clearly not sprouted yet. With the Goron watching me carefully in case he had to pull me back from the edge I realised I could cheat a little more, if I was careful about it.

I made some show of charting the course I'd have to throw the Bomb Flower down to reach the rock without also catching the Goron I'd seen down there, then plucked the flower, threw it with a mighty heave, then leaned on the spindly fence ostensibly to watch it fall. I may have surreptitiously nudged it as it descended once or twice, and when I noticed it bounce and start to roll away from the rock I may have nudged it a few more times to persuade it to roll back to the rock.

The Goron didn't seem to have noticed my actions, but his attention did shift to the rock below, looking very hopeful. I guess when the rocks in the cavern are the cream of the crop so to speak, even monsters in there aren't going to dissuade a hungry Goron.

The rock was destroyed, of course. Well, most of it was. There were a few chunks of it left ponderously swaying just beside the Goron, who had been startled into wakefulness by the detonation. He quickly punched the swaying remains to knock them down, then started to break them up so they wouldn't get in anyone's way. Aren't Gorons helpful?

"Well, that's one problem solved," I said to no one in particular. "Now to clear out Dodongo's Cavern."

Completely forgetting the Goron beside me, I squeezed through the spindly fence to stand right on the edge.

"Hey!" the Goron exclaimed. "Get back from there – you'll fall!"

"I know," I replied with a sly grin. "But I know a bit of magic. I'll be safe, just watch."

Then I jumped. That might have been a mistake – it's hard to focus when the ground is rushing up to meet you. Thankfully I managed to slow my descent in time to land safely beside the entrance to the cavern, much to the surprise of both the Goron above and the one down here.

"Don't mind me," I told the startled Goron. "I'm just heading in there to clear it out for you."

I think that surprised it even more, somehow.

As we headed down the long entry cavern, Navi piped up again at last.

"You know Silver, your 'magic' seems to have any number of unexpected side effects. You almost scared me half to death when you jumped off."

"Sorry. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I think I should have got ready for it before I jumped really." I glanced back down the cavern to the retreating sight of the Goron outside, then added, "As soon as we're out of sight of him, I think I'm going to use my mind a bit more here."

"I thought we agreed you weren't going to rely on that back in the Great Deku Tree?"

"No, you just mentioned it. Anyway, that was a test, this is a favour to Darunia. There's a difference."

"Not much of one. You're still proving yourself, just to him instead of the Great Deku Tree."

"That's just a side effect," I said dismissively, entering into a slightly larger cavern with Bomb Flowers growing on either side and a cracked wall in front. "The main reason I'm doing this is to get the Goron's Ruby because we need it."

I plucked a Bomb Flower and placed it by the wall, knowing I had enough time to get clear before the blast happened. The flower exploded, destroying the wall to reveal another immense cavern with pools of lava on the floors, rocky ledges and platforms scattered around, some moving and others stationary, a giant toothy grey head of some creature on the far wall, and several creatures I couldn't identify. While there was lava on the floor, the cavern wasn't overly hot, just noticeably warmer than it had been outside.

This was the first time I encountered the strange elemental resistance the keese have, spotting a small flock of fire keese flapping about unconcerned by the fact they were on fire. Navi identified certain odd statues as Beamos statues, which didn't like getting smoke in their single eye and would shoot a laser beam at me if I got too close, then identified the dead head on the wall as that of a Dodongo.

"If that's how big they grow, this could be a challenge," I murmured.

"I've never heard of one growing that big," Navi told me. "Normally they're much smaller, but if Ganondorf's magic has caused all these creatures to appear it could have caused them to become more dangerous than usual."

"Just what I need. At least there's more Bomb Flowers here," I added, pointing to them, then to certain walls. "Those look like they'll fall apart if we blow them up. I spot... four possibly bombable walls in here, and Bomb Flowers close enough to each that if I can't reach them on my own two feet, I'll be able to nudge them close enough."

"Isn't that called cheating?"

"Yes, I do believe it is," I agreed pleasantly. "Is there a problem with that?" I started over to the west side of the cavern, hovering over the gaps rather than dropping down and climbing the ladders (made of wood – how did they manage to survive here?) again to reach. "Ganondorf is more powerful than I am, or at least I get the impression he is," I went on as I headed over. "So why should I deliberately limit myself?"

Navi chose not to answer that and changed the subject instead.

"I bet if you threw a Bomb Flower at those Beamos, it would destroy them," she suggested. "We know Bomb Flowers are... unstable when disturbed. If they blow up on contact..."

"Can't hurt to try," I replied, uprooting one and lobbing it at the nearest Beamos as its eye turned to look at me. The Bomb Flower exploded on impact, destroying the base of it with another detonation that blasted the eye upward. It too fell to the ground, also exploding on impact.

And you needed arrows to defeat them Tails. Didn't you ever think to try that?

Behind the two bombable walls on the west side of the cavern I found a large chest containing the map of the dungeon and a Deku Scrub with a difference – when I reflected the nut it spat back at it, instead of running it jumped up.

"Wait!" It exclaimed. "Please forgive me – if you'll spare me, I'll sell you a Deku Shield for just 60 rupees!"

"I already have one," I told it. "But if I lose it anywhere here, I'll come back. Just... don't spit your nuts at me again."

"Thank you master, thank you!" it called profusely after me.

"Skinflint," I muttered, ignoring its presence as I hovered to the east side instead. "They're 40 rupees, not 60."

"Yeah, but are you really going to trek back to Kokiri Forest just to save 20 rupees?" Navi said.

"Point," I admitted, blowing up the Beamos statue on this side, then moving on to destroy the two bombable walls here. One held another of the odd stones I'd seen just outside the Temple of Time, the other, according to the map was the way I needed to head next.

"Just what are those stones, Navi?"

"Gossip Stones," she replied. "Rumour has it if you wear a mask with the same design on it as is on the stones, they'll tell you stuff. I hear they also react in strange ways to certain things."

"Really? What kind of things?"

"I've no idea. Maybe you should try and find out?"

That gave me an idea. The Bomb Flowers here in the cavern seemed to grow back very quickly, so I plucked the one I'd used on the Beamos, placed it beside the Gossip Stone, then stood back to watch.

When the explosion cleared, it appeared as if nothing had happened. Then it flashed blue, then again, and finally it turned red and with fire blasting out of its base it took off like a rocket, exploding when it hit the top of the cavern.

Come on – you can't help but laugh at that. Turning a bit of rock into a rocket never ceased to amuse me, and since the Gossip Stones seemed to come back whenever I wasn't around, I had a never ending supply as long as I had something to blow them up with.

That little diversion aside, I decided to get on with this place and blew up the other wall. I apologise now for the dreadful over-use of the words 'cavern' and 'tunnel' here, but at least you'll know exactly what I mean. Caverns are large rooms, tunnels are the dug out corridors between them. Try not to get confused now, will you?

Anyway, beyond that now destroyed wall was a tunnel that had been shored up with solid wooden scaffold and boxes that seemed arranged rather haphazardly, causing it to weave from side to side like a drunken sailor going from pub to pub. Along the way several little critters jumped out of the dirt floor, tiny green things that had only vestigal legs but seemed more inclined to get around by wiggling toward me.

One swift stab from my sword dispatched them, but that was where they started being a threat. I stabbed three of them then carried on past them, not realising that these creatures exploded when killed. Fortunately I had my back, and therefore the Hylian shield to them, so I was spared the worst of the shock of three detonations behind me. Even so, it was enough to throw me to the floor, coming back up spitting dirt and half-formed oaths.

"I guess I should have warned you," Navi said. "Those are baby Dodongos. They all do that when they die."

"I thought you were meant to stop things like that happening," I grumbled, brushing dirt off me. A few minutes ago I was more or less clean except for a few bits of mud on my boots, now I looked like I'd just crawled out of the dirt like the baby Dodongos had.

"No one's perfect," she replied. "You'd better wash all that off before you head to Zora's Domain. They're apparently very strict about keeping their water clean."

"You're worrying about that _now_?" I demanded. "We've only just started in here, and if the map is anything to go by-"

"Silver, watch out – more baby Dodongos!"

"Don't change the subject on me!" I snapped, stabbing the second lot of three then mentally throwing them away from me.

"I was just saying. If you're going to get in to see them, you can't see them like that."

"Well remind me when we've got the Goron's Ruby," I told her, rubbing at one shoulder. "If I haven't been blown up again before then."

"Aren't you irritable today?"

"Getting blown up does that to me," I answered shortly, climbing up a small ledge. Here there was a massive stone door, barred to prevent entry from the rickety wooden platform in front of it. On either side there were two blue statues, and a blue moon switch in front.

Stepping on the switch caused the bars to retract, but unlike previous switches I'd encountered this one un-switched when my weight was no longer on it. After my attempt to break the web in the Deku Tree with my mind only had failed I didn't even consider the possibility of holding down the switch similarly, so instead I just persuaded one of the statues to float up, over the switch, then down again.

Beyond the door was a short corridor with two keese roosting up against the walls. A couple shots from the Slingshot, again with some small rocks from the floor instead of the seeds, dealt with them easily. It hadn't been necessary to proceed, but since Darunia had asked me to clear out everything in here, I intended to do just that. If nothing else, it'd prepare me for whatever the Zoras would ask me to do.

Next I entered a cavern that I couldn't see the top of. It was hotter in here, the only land being several platforms that appeared to be floating on the surface of a lake of lava, supplied by a slow-moving lava fall just beyond. There was a heat haze in the room that seemed close to becoming visible as a light fog, and there were also two creatures on platforms on either side of the room that Tails will recognise. As the door I'd come through became barred behind me, Navi identified them as Lizalfos, lizard-men armed with only a sword that, unusually for monsters, had some honour to them – only one of them would engage me at any one time, rather than taking on both.

As one of them hopped from platform to platform to reach me I saw each of them shift under its weight, so I elected to stay on the one I'd come in on. It seemed more stable, probably because it was attached to the walls.

While the Hylian shield was too big to wield the same way I had the Deku Shield, I figured I had a way out still. Rather than strapping it to one arm, I instead just took hold of it with my mind and held it nearby. Given its size, it made a formidable barrier for the Lizalfos to try to break through, and it was also that which prompted me to come up with not one but three of the 'hidden skills' I was to pass on to Tails.

For the first Lizalfos I remained behind the shield, listening to its sword clang harmlessly off while I stabbed at its legs below the shield. It tried to leap over me, but I kept the shield between me and it, preventing any opportunity for it to strike at me either from above or behind.

Then I turned that trick on it, surprising it by leaping up over the shield which had stayed in place this time, somersaulting in mid-air above it as I slashed at its head several times, then with a slight boost to clear the lava I landed on the next platform over, quickly causing the shield to rotate around the Lizalfos to continue protecting me. That was the first instance of the skill later known as the Helm Splitter.

My attack had surprised and disoriented the Lizalfos, which stumbled back an fell with a screech into the lava, defeated. Now the other one leapt over to join the battle in an attempt to avenge its fallen comrade.

At first I planned to treat this one the same way, even though I now stood on a less stable platform that tilted and shifted underneath, suddenly rising up on my side of it as the Lizalfos landed heavily on the other side. We were both fortunate enough that the platform never sunk to the point where the lava started to spill on, but we remained just as wary of it as we did of each other.

This Lizalfos had seen what had happened to its comrade though, and when I tried to repeat it ducked down and jabbed its sword sharply upwards, leaving a tear in my tunic, but thankfully not in me. It had been a narrow escape though, I was certain I'd felt the blade even if it hadn't actually harmed me.

I'd only just barely landed on the same platform and didn't have enough room to manuever here, so I quickly backed up onto the next platform over. The Lizalfos followed, circling me as it tried to get around the shield that always kept itself between me and it. It gave high pitched screeches of frustration as it battered at this impenetrable defence, at least allowing me to hold it off with ease while I tried to come up with something new.

Then I had a sudden brainwave, backing away so I'd have enough room to execute the idea. I left the shield in place again, leapt to one side, rolled back to my feet and spun on the spot with the sword outstretched – the Back Slice.

The Lizalfos, having been focused on my shield, had not noticed this and cried out when I caught it from behind. I took advantage of that to get in another strike before I had to bring the shield back into place. Then because there was nothing behind it but lava, I shoved the shield into its face, knocking it back into the lava using what Tails knew as the Shield Bash.

Three hidden skills all developed in one short fight. Aren't you proud of me?

Navi wasn't though.

"Do you know how close you came to landing in the lava?" she demanded of me as the two doors in the room became unbarred. "If you'd made one false move-"

"I would have corrected it with my mind and landed safely," I interrupted her. "I'm fine, Navi."

"You almost weren't! Just look at your tunic!" As if to emphasise, she flew down to the rip in the left side of it, just above the belt. "You're lucky it didn't get you as well!"

Another idea occurred to me.

"Actually, I think it did," I told Navi. "But it only caught this image. I can't be entirely sure, since I don't know how to turn it off by myself, but I think it missed the real me, and that's why it looks like nothing happened. That must have been what I felt – its sword caught the image, and I felt that, even though there's nothing actually there to feel."

"Are you sure you're not really hurt under there?"

"Trust me, Navi. I'd feel it if I was. I'm fine. Now what do you say we press on?"

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Of course I do," I replied, patting the map in my tunic. "If I don't remember, I can just look at it again."

I wonder if the heat in there might have got to us both, if not the whole of the cavern in general. As I recall we were both a little snippy at times.

Since there was only one other door in this cavern, that was the one I took, heading down a tunnel past some Bomb Flowers to a new tunnel that formed rings around several columns and rock walls. From the tunnel opening I could see a much larger version of the baby Dodongos with tough grey skin except on its snout, underbelly and tail. They stomped heavily around on their two small legs, mouths swinging just open enough to see the ring of teeth.

"Adult Dodongos?" I asked Navi.

"If they're not, it's a very good act. Stab their tails, but get out of the way after you do because they'll swing around very quickly and try to breath fire on you."

"Oh, really? I wonder if we can make that a little safer?"

This time it was not the shield but the sword I took hold of with my mind. The Dodongo watched it fly overhead until it went out of sight, then went back to stomping around. It gave a sudden cry when I jabbed the sword into its vulnerable tail, quickly bringing it up clear as it whirled surprisingly quick to try and roast the phantom sword wielder. A second time I jabbed and it whipped back around again, then on the third stab it sank down, defeated.

"Wait, Silver!" Navi warned me as I made to head into the tunnels beyond it, retrieving my sword. After a moment I realised why she had warned me – like the baby Dodongos, the adults also exploded when they died, though with considerably more force and destructiveness. Several bits of rock were blasted out of the nearby walls, and the dirt floor was thrown up out of a new crater in a cloud of dust.

"Thanks for warning me this time. I don't think I want to get caught in that."

"I can hear two more ahead. You might want to take them out the same way."

"I thought you didn't approve of my cheating like this?" I asked her slyly, moving into view of the remaining two Dodongos.

"I don't, but if it stops you from being so reckless..."

"Really, you make it sound like I don't care about the risks." I sent the sword after the two Dodongos, alternating between stabbing the tails of both. Rather amusingly, the two of them both thought each other responsible, and when they both breathed fire on each other's vulnerable snouts, they also caused each other to detonate there and then.

"Well, let's see. You threw yourself off a cliff, narrowly escaped harm while fighting two Lizalfos, not to mention almost landing in some lava-"

"Yeah, alright, I get the idea. I might have taken one or two risks," I conceded. "But it worked, didn't it?"

Navi chose not to answer that either.

The door I found at the end of the winding, weaving tunnel was barred. As it hadn't been unbarred by defeating all the Dodongos, there had to be another trigger, so I retraced my steps payong closer attention to my surroundings only to find a series of unlit torches, and one lit one.

I could have lit one of the sticks and wandered down lighting torches, but once I made sure there was only three of them I just stood by the door and sent a flame from Din's Fire flicking down lighting them instead.

This unbarred the door and let me through to another short corridor that opened on to the main cavern again, though it was on a raised area that had a switch I wouldn't have been able to reach – well, unless I decided to cheat a bit more than I already had been. This switch unbarred a door on the west side of the cavern, giving clear definition of where to go next.


	12. Dodongo's Cavern 2

**A/N: **Since I've already decided that the Compass doesn't serve much use here, I'm going to be replacing the items in the Compass chests with other conveniences, some from other Zelda titles and others... well, wait and see.

* * *

With the route I'd taken bringing me back to the main cavern, I paused to take the opportunity to consult the map again, seeing two rooms on this floor, a way up to the floor above, and one room with two corridors that would lead up to an upper level of this main cavern. If I understood the map markings correctly, there was a chest in one of the lower rooms.

While the Deku Scrub – or as Navi called it, a Business Scrub – was still hoping I would drop in to get a replacement shield, I once again ignored it and simply hovered over to the newly unlocked door. I figured it wasn't likely anyone would believe a Business Scrub, not given the outrageous overpricing they all have, so wasn't concerned with what it might tell anyone. If it even left here.

Another short and this time empty corridor later I was in a tall room with a massive flight of stone stairs, the lowest of which would have been out of reach for the Hylian boy I appeared to be, surrounded by a low ledge of Bomb Flowers. There were wooden platforms at the top of the stone steps that reached around and back, and I knew from the map to lead to another door, but there was also a small side room just opposite the stairs that I went into first.

In that small room were two things – a large chest, and a stone statue that appeared to be a stylised warrior, holding a carving of a sword and shield. Just in case there was something I wasn't seeing I searched the room with my mind, then let out a surprised gasp.

"What is it?" Navi asked.

"That... statue," I replied. "It's alive. I can feel it there. It's not very bright, but I'm sure it's alive."

"It could be an Armos statue," she said doubtfully. "Apparently they attack the unwary, but because the only thing they can do is hop around they're not really much of a threat. You'll have to use something like a Bomb Flower to blow it up because it's so resistant to everything else."

"Yeah, but there aren't any in here."

"Maybe you can do something? With your mind, I mean."

I looked speculatively at the walls, which all appeared to be some fairly sound stone. Maybe if I smashed it against them enough times it might have a similar effect.

"I think so, but it isn't going to be easy on me. Picking up something like that with the mind is almost as hard as doing it physically instead."

"Maybe I can lend a hand then. Just tell me how I do it, and I'll do my best."

I explained the basic theory of it to her – if you want an idea of it, refer to when I presented that rock to the Hyrule Castle guards – then we planned out where we'd smash it, since if we pulled it in different directions we'd try to tear it apart, and with something as tough as stone – even living stone like this – that wasn't going to work.

Between the two of us we practised timing on several nearby rocks, while I kept an eye on the statue in case it decided to suddenly attack, then when Navi felt she was ready to help me with it we both lifted it up, causing it to give a low grumbling kind of roar and thrash about in the air. It gave another one every time we smashed it into a wall, each time causing more pieces of it to break off until there it just fell apart because there wasn't enough of it left.

"Are you alright after that?" I asked Navi.

"It was harder than I thought," she answered, sounding slightly weak. "I think I'll have to rest after that."

"Go ahead. You can use my cap again. You did well for someone new to it, you know."

"Thanks Silver," she murmured in my ear as she settled in. She'd taken some of the strain off me so I wouldn't have so much trouble, but she hadn't been prepared for just how difficult something like that is.

In the chest was a curious red rod with a hook on the end and Hylian lettering along its length. I struggled for a time trying to read it, then finally read out, "'Cane of Somalia'. Know anything about this?"

"It's an ancient relic left behind by an old wizard called Somalia," Navi replied from the cap behind me. "It's said he created it because he got annoyed with switches that wouldn't stay switched. Give it a swing and you'll see how he got around it."

I did so, feeling a very small surge as the cane drew power from me, then in front of me created a red block that looked about the same size as the moon switches I'd encountered so far.

"How remarkable," I murmured. "This will definitely come in useful."

With that obtained I returned back and plucked a Bomb Flower from by the door, putting it exactly between the two long chains of Bomb Flowers around the base of the steps. The resulting chain reaction destroyed the lowest part of the stairs, causing the rest to crash down within reach. Not that I needed them there, but if I had wanted to climb them, I could at least. Even if the steps were almost as tall as I was.

Rather than take the long trek up them, naturally I just floated up to the highest point and settled on a wooden platform, using the slingshot to defeat a few Skulltulas that had spun a considerable web. I'd have burnt it down, but it seemed it was actually kind of necessary for the platform to stay up.

Another short tunnel into a larger, roughly hexagonal room that had four statues and two more fire keese in came next. The keese were shot down before they ever came near me – I already had a tear in my tunic, I didn't need to lose any to fire!

I checked the statues, finding they were all just normal statues this time. They'd been arranged so that they hid the one ladder that led on top of the central pillar, but since I didn't need that I ignored it. I didn't bother to find out whether the switch on top stayed down or not, I just used the new Cane of Somalia to create the block, switching the switch and unbarring the other door.

This of course let me back out into the upper level of the main cavern, straight across a bridge after shooting down some of the fire keese flitting about. I carried on, pausing in the tunnel on the other side to check the map again. There were several interconnected rooms ahead, including one that looked as if it was at the top of the lava falls I'd seen when fighting the Lizalfos earlier. It wasn't immediately clear from the map why there seemed to be several redundant routes, as the basic detail it gave me suggested I could just go ahead a room, keep left and and take the next door over to the far side of the main room.

When I entered that room though I realised it wasn't that simple. There were raised pillars and narrow gaps between them, most of them occupied by a large metal thing that seemed to be nothing but sharp edges. To avoid them I once again hovered through the room, taking stock from above.

I could see the north half of the room hadn't been intended to be reached from the south half, but from a room to the east that in turn would have come from the lava falls room. Like in the Great Deku Tree I admitted I could skip it, but I wasn't going to do that in case there was something essential along the way – and I had been asked to exterminate everything in here, so I could hardly leave monsters behind.

There was a chest that held a few more rupees for my wallet, which was almost so full by now that I'd have to start using my pouch of holding instead for any more, then with a handy Bomb Flower I blew up a nearby wall that was clearly bombable to continue on.

That in turn led me to a short corridor, growing slightly to go over a pit. The metal frame between me and the other side had flames coming out of it, but a quick shot from the slingshot into an eye switch just beyond dropped the flames, and not wanting to burn my feet on the still hot metal I didn't even touch it on the way over.

A few more baby Dodongos appeared to try to attack me in the remains of that cavern, but now I knew about the risks of standing too close to them I dealt with them the same way I did their older cousins, watching them harmlessly detonate from afar.

Just as I'd suspected, this took me to a series of platforms above the lava falls from earlier. Much hotter than it had been below and with much smaller platforms, but otherwise the same, complete with two angry Lizalfos that I assumed must have seen what had happened to their friends below.

I didn't waste any time with these two, shoving one into the lava with the shield straight away while I hopped over the platforms to the second one. They may have seen what I'd done to the other two, but they hadn't learned from it, and a combination of the Back Slice followed by the Helm Splitter sent the second one swiftly after its friend.

"You know, I could get to like doing this now I'm getting the hang of it."

"So long as you don't get yourself hurt again," Navi murmured.

"What d'ya mean, 'again'? I haven't been hurt yet, have I?"

"Emphasis on yet. Seen anything you didn't recognise?"

"Not yet. Don't worry, I'll let you know if I do. How are you holding up in there?"

"I'll feel better once you get out of this heat, Silver."

"On the way out already," I replied, taking the only other door in the area without having to drop down to the lower level.

This presented me with a pair of fire traps, but they were easily dealt with. The first one was deactivated by an eye switch on the far side of the room, the second by another one concealed in an alcove only seen from the grating that had until recently been in a pillar of fire. It didn't take a genius to solve that particular problem, leading me into the north part of the room with the spiked floor traps.

Up in this area there was a bombable wall, but no Bomb Flower. There was, however, a big chest that contained a Bomb Bag full of bombs.

"Useful," Navi noted, flitting back out again. "Maybe you should see what's behind the wall? You should be able to get back up again, knowing you."

"Can't hurt to look."

That turned out to be pointless. Two more Business Scrubs, one selling Deku Sticks – apparently the real term for the sticks I'd been carrying around – and the other Deku Nuts. While the Scrub did his best to sell them, highlighting the flash they give on impact as a high point for stunning enemies, I was put off by his demonstration of spitting a nut – it made me wonder just where he got his nuts from, so I pretended I had some already and left the two of them disappointed in there. They would probably have overcharged me anyway.

The route I was following continued back into the main room, where I shot down the last of the fire keese and threw bombs from my new Bomb Bag at the last two Beamos statues from the vantage of the ledge I was on, then gave my best attempt at translating a Hylian inscription nearby.

"Giant dead... something... when it sees red, a new way will open?"

"Maybe the something is the Hylian word for Dodongo, and it means the Dodongo head on the wall?"

"Right, but what about seeing red?"

"How about dropping bombs in each of its eye sockets?"

I had my doubts about that, but I couldn't see any other way – short of using the Cane of Somalia, and I quickly discovered that could only create one block a time, used to activate a switch that cased one of the lower platforms to ascend up to this higher level to create an unneeded shortcut.

Despite my doubts, Navi's suggestion proved to be right. Two gaps in the bridge above the head were conveniently positioned just above the eyes, and as each bomb went off the eye socket lit up. When both lit up there was a grinding sound from below, and when I came down to have a look I saw a door hidden behind the dead Dodongo's mouth. It explained why there were rooms on the map that were behind the Dodongo's head.


	13. Dodongo's Cavern 3, King of the Dodongos

There were only a few rooms left now according to the map, and like before the purpose of some wasn't clear from the map alone. If I'd been able to read more of it...

As it was I came out of a short tunnel to a room that had very little in it. Two fire keese, quickly shot down and an exit in all four cardinal directions. Some stones were arranged in a square around a depression that held another switch.

The door to the west was barred, but quickly unbarred once I used the Cane of Somalia to weigh down the switch. According to the map there was nothing beyond there, but if this was anything like the Great Deku Tree I expected Ganondorf to have put some powerful creature in there too.

The corridor to the north was blocked off by a stone block about the same size as the hole for the switch. With no way to safely pull it from this side I reasoned that was why the other rooms, freely reachable to the east, were for – reaching it to push it down instead.

I figured with this few rooms left, as the map didn't mark anything else of significance any monsters I left there would be few enough that Darunia wouldn't mind, or maybe they'd disappear with whatever creature awaited me.

There was a small room beyond with a darkened patch on the floor that sounded hollow compared to the solid rocks around it. There was a faint warm breeze coming from below through some tiny cracks.

The map didn't show a room below here, but then the map didn't show this room either – it was marked with a skull symbol instead. Either way, whatever was there was the end of the Cavern, so I bombed the ground.

That revealed a room below and increased the temperature significantly. From what I could see there was a massive pool of lava down there with a rocky area only just high enough to avoid being covered by the lava. Something down there was stomping around heavily.

Navi and I shared a look, then sent our minds searching the cavern below. Navi found the creature first.

"It feels like a Dodongo's mind," she said. "But it doesn't seem right somehow."

I located it myself and touched on it.

"I should have checked one of the normal Dodongos," I muttered ruefully. "I don't recognise it myself. It's very old though, and very big."

"How can you tell?"

"It's something you pick up with practise," I shrugged. "I'd guess from the environment down there and its age, it probably won't be as easy to defeat as the Dodongos we've seen before. Besides their tails, where else are they vulnerable?"

"Just underneath and on their snout. Everything else is protected inside."

"Inside, huh... I wonder what would happen if we gave it a bomb for breakfast?"

"Supper," Navi corrected absently, then after a curious look, "It's late in the day outside by now, so it'd be supper. Right is right, Silver."

"Trust you to think of something like that."

"What if bombs don't work?"

"Then I'll attack the tail like any other Dodongo, or the snout if it's too big to reach. I just hope its dumb enough not to make any sense of what we've been saying."

We both paused, looking to the room below. The stomping had broken off while we'd been talking, and we'd only just noticed. The heat of the room faded slightly as a sudden wind threatened to pull us downwards, then the direction reversed, coming blasting back up in an immense roar that shook rocks down from the ceiling.

I quickly got the Hylian shield out to protect us from any sudden rockslides on top of us, expanding its influence to cover the both of us completely. It was jarred several times as larger rocks fell out, most of them bouncing down into the lava of the room below, but we pulled through.

When it subsided, I glanced back down into the room below. There was still no sign of the ancient Dodongo down there.

"Do you think he might possibly have heard us?" I suggested to Navi.

"Don't provoke him any more, whatever you do!"

"Would I do a thing like that?" I asked innocently. "Come on – I suppose we'd better go see just what we're up against."

Navi, perhaps wisely, decided to take cover in my cap again. Once she was there, I dropped down into the cavern below, slowing my descent to take in the view. My original impression of it hadn't been wrong, it was a lava pool surrounded by a rocky ledge – very rocky in places where the rocks had fallen in.

One of the inconveniences of dropping down like that is that turning around isn't entirely safe, or easy for that matter, so it ended up that I saw no creature at all until after I landed and turned only to see a Dodongo that practically reached to the ceiling, stood on immense legs that looked like they'd been carved from granite.

The King of the Dodongos, for this was surely who he was, regarded me with his massive green eyes, then lifted his great maw and roared again, the teeth on clear display. They were not white teeth. They were sharpened, glistening gemstones, and I definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of them.

I managed to say, "Oh bugger," before turning tail and running away from that beast. Not because I wanted to get away, though had I not been here for the Goron's Ruby I would have – but because I needed the time to get a bomb to hand, and because it was breathing fire after me. Conveniently, if I ran out of bombs there were Bomb Flowers in all four corners of the room.

King Dodongo followed when his fire breath faded, first stomping after me, his vast steps allowing him to cover only slightly less ground than I was, then he curled up Goron-like and rolled after me. I quickly threw myself as close into the corner of the side as I could, only narrowly missing getting squashed.

He slammed into the wall ahead, uncurling and turning to stomp towards me again. This time I had the Bomb bag to the ready though, hand already on a bomb inside just waiting for him to open that great maw again. Like Tails' bomb bags, there only ever seemed to be one bomb there which lit itself as soon as it was removed, so I was cautious about using them carelessly. You couldn't put a bomb back in the bag safely.

When he got close to me I resisted the urge to run yet again. He stopped, raising his head as he drew in a deep breath. He'd understood us alright! Fortunately he didn't know the power of Silver the Hedgehog. I jumped up, boosting my jump high enough to reach his mouth, caught hold of a rocky edge of the mouth and lobbed a bomb down his throat with the remark, "Slam-dunk! Chew on that, flame-breath!"

I'm not sure what surprised him more – my words or the unexpected meal. As I dropped back down he quickly closed his mouth and given the sound that followed I assume swallowed. I waited, watching this apparently frozen Dodongo, then there was a muffled explosion that shook him, causing him to collapse to the ground, the head landing uncomfortably close to me. Given his size I was not going to try and go for his tail, instead I drew my sword and hacked away at the stony snout. It was hard work even getting through his tough hide, but a number of small wounds had started to appear by the time he recovered.

Once again he rolled up to try and run me over, and again I jumped aside – only I made a mistake in not paying attention to my surroundings and with a brief yelp as I landed on the hot lava I practically threw myself back on to solid ground, hurridly putting out a few small embers that had caught. Thankfully the cap and therefore Navi was safe, but I'd definitely felt that this time. I wasn't going to make _that_ mistake again!

By the time I'd managed to put myself out King Dodongo had crashed into the opposite corner and was busily stomping for me. He did not step into the lava, suggesting that despite looking like an animated statue, he was also not resistant to it.

That gave me the inspiration that shortened the fight a great deal. With his unwillingness to cross lava and his size preventing him from facing it directly, I saved myself from any further harm by hovering above it instead. That in itself would have put us in a standoff though, so I teased him by coming tantalisingly close in an attempt to get him to try to breath fire again.

For a Dodongo though he's smart enough to realize when he's being tricked, not rising to the bait. Instead he snapped at me with surprising speed and ferocity, trying to eat me instead. That put an unexpected risk in that I wouldn't have had if I'd stayed on the ground, but risky as it was it gave me the chance to dump another bomb down his throat. He hadn't been expecting it so stopped in place again while I landed as close as I dared to where I thought his head would land, sword drawn ready to hack into the snout again.

I knew I couldn't keep on being lucky forever though, and each time I had to get close to the mouth just to drop another bomb in I'd be taking extraordinary risks. What if there was another way? I kept trying to think of a way while I waited for him to stop rolling around again, despite the complete pointlessness of that by now except to make him invulnerable to me.

When he uncurled again I had another brainwave – the first bomb I'd given him, I'd been hanging on to the outside of his mouth, just clear of those razor sharp teeth. Why not go from above instead? I spotted several crags on the snout that I might be able to use, and if he'd just cooperate and open wide I could always guide a bomb in without having to get too close. It was absolutely crazy, but it might have been what I was looking for.

It worked. King Dodongo felt me land on him, for a moment remaining absolutely still while his eyes tried to look down his face at me, then he bellowed a great roar of frustration. With no flames to this breath it was exactly what I needed, stuffing one more bomb down his throat while I once again prepared myself to hack away.

I repeated that three, maybe four times, I forget exactly. I wasn't keeping any kind of count, I was just doing what I knew to work. Eventually it appeared I'd done enough, as King Dodongo rolled up once again but couldn't seem to keep his course straight, at first leaning over the lava, then correcting himself, then leaning again. As he kept trying he leaned further and further until he bounced off a wall too hard and rolled deep into the lava pool, where with a last cry he unrolled, sinking down into it, scrabbling desperately at the air as he tried to stay above the lava line.

As he died the lava cooled, trapping him in the solidifying lava with just a single hand and part of his giant head stuck out, and even that burned away afterwards, leaving another blue patch just like the one I'd seen after defeating Queen Gohma. I did feel sorry for the great, ancient beast, but it had been necessary.

The second blue patch was much like the first, transporting me safely outside Dodongo's Cavern. I suspected some healing magic was also present because as I touched down again I felt less weary than I had before.

Before I moved at all a massive rock – no, a curled up Goron – dropped down, landing in front of me with a burst of dust around him, the sudden shock throwing me to the ground. When I got back up again, the Goron had stood up to reveal none other than Darunia.

"I saw the light of your return, and knew what it meant! Good work, Silver!" he boomed, clapping me on the shoulders, his massive strength almost driving me to my knees.

"It was nothing," I protested weakly. "Just a giant Dodongo."

"Well thanks to you and your efforts, we can once again eat the delicious rocks from Dodongo's Cavern until our stomachs burst! And to think, it was all caused by that Gerudo thief!"

"Gerudo thief? Do you mean Ganondorf?"

"That was what he called himself – he's the one who filled the cavern with Dodongos and blocked the entrance, all because I refused to give in to his demands! Can you believe the nerve of him, making demands of the great Darunia? But you... you on the other hand, risked your life to get hold of it, selflessly undoing all his work!"

"Just doing what was right. If you don't work for something, you don't value it, right?"

Darunia, still grinning broadly, nodded agreement, "That's right. And you know kid, I like your nerve! You're a hero to us Gorons now, and we have to do something for that. How's about you and I become Sworn Brothers, Silver?"

Remember Tails said that Darbus recalled one other Sworn Brother of the Gorons? Yep, that was me. Still is, if I ever find my way back.

I'd learned about the concept of Sworn Brothers before, though I heard it under a different name. It amounts to the same thing though. Depending on the people you're swearing brotherhood with though, there's some unusual things that go with it.

Darunia must have picked up on my thoughts somehow, so he went on, "Don't worry, there's no big ceremony or anything – just take this as a token of our friendship, Brother!"

He held his arms toward the twilight stained sky, then similar to the Great Deku Tree and the Kokiri's Emerald, a red flash appeared above me that coalesced into the Goron's Ruby, a red gem that was also just a bit larger than my fist, held in an inverted triangle band of gold.

"Now, how's about we see you off with a big Goron hug?" Darunia suggested as I tucked it safely away.

"Uh, thanks, but it's kinda late," I answered quickly, knowing that I'd probably come out of a hug with bruises all over. "I ought to head down into Kakariko and find a place to stay for the night before I set out tomorrow."

"Find? Nonsense!" he boomed. "We will provide you with a room to stay within our city! We'll be honoured to have the Hero of the Gorons stay overnight!"


	14. Scaling Death Mountain

One of the advantages of having Gorons take care of you is that since they so rarely get Hylian visitors, they always have something prepared for them. A Goron rolled down into Kakariko to pick up something more suitable for me to eat – not that I doubted the rocks they liked were good, just that I didn't think I'd be able to properly appreciate them.

Contrary to what rumours say about them they don't provide rock beds for their guests, so I even slept comfortably that night. Even we heroes need our sleep sooner or later.

Much to my surprise, while I was waking up, having breakfast and the like, Darunia paid a call on me.

"You're looking better than last night, brother," he noted. "I didn't realize your clothes were magic."

"Magic?" I asked around a mouthful, not really catching on. I had only just woken up, after all.

Darunia nodded, pointing to one side, "Wasn't there a hole there? You looked a bit singed too, but now you look almost like you did when you first arrived."

I glanced down, noting he was right – the tear in my tunic had gone, as had the marks from the brief contact with the lava when fighting King Dodongo.

"Oh. That. I guess I just forgot about it. There's something I've been meaning to ask you, by the way."

"By all means, ask away!"

"You know you said you were waiting for a messenger from the king, right?" I asked. Darunia nodded again, looking curious. "What are you going to tell him when he arrives? Only I got the impression..."

"That I asked the King for aid?" Darunia suggested, then chortled. "Oh, I did. His messenger came by this morning, asking what the problem was. Should have seen his expression when I told him a little kid solved our problems for us because he was late."

"He came _today_? Is he still here?"

"Not any more. He left after I told him about you, saying the King would want words with you when he heard about this. Now let me ask you something, Silver. You came from the forest, right?"

"That's where I call home at the moment, yeah – Kokiri Forest. I look like one of them, but I'm not really."

"I can tell. Your features are too prominently Hylian. But that's not what I'm asking about – every Kokiri has a fairy, I know that because I've visited the forest before now, but just two days before you showed up – exactly two days after Ganondorf blocked off Dodongo's Cavern – there was another boy, very much like you, but without a fairy."

"The boy without a fairy," Navi said quietly. "The one all the Kokiri knew about, but wouldn't tell us about."

"Did the Great Deku Tree ever tell you anything about him?" I asked Navi.

"Only that he knew that boy wasn't the one we were waiting for – that was you."

Darunia spoke up again, "He didn't have a message from the king letting him up here, but we also don't know how he managed to get up here anyway. He wasn't like you – he was rude, made demands of us and several times was caught trying to steal from us. I was going to ask if you were related to him... but I gather you're not."

"Where did he go? I think I'd like to have a few words with him."

"With your sword, no doubt," Darunia said. "He was last seen heading down the mountain the day before you arrived, where the guard at the gate caught him. I gather he was found to be a thief down in the village below too."

"Do we have time to pursue him, Silver?" Navi asked.

"I figure it this way," I replied. "Ganondorf wants the three Spiritual Stones so he can break into the Sacred Realm, but because he tried to demand them rather than work for them, no one would give them to him. The Great Deku Tree was cursed and died-"

"What?" Darunia interrupted. "Ganondorf did that?"

"We tried to break the curse, but it had already run its course," I answered. "He entrusted me with the Kokiri Emerald before he died."

"If Ganondorf ever shows his face here again he will pay for this outrage," Darunia muttered darkly. "Go on, Silver."

"I'd love to help with that," I grinned back, then continued, "As I said, he cursed the Great Deku Tree because he wouldn't give up the stone, then it was entrusted to me. I come here at Princess Zelda's request to pick up the Goron's Ruby, only to find it's the same thing here."

"Right," Darunia agreed. "He told us if we didn't give it up he'd seal Dodongo's Cavern, and even if we blew up the rock in the way he'd fill it with monsters."

"But then I come along, destroy the rock and clear out the cavern in return for the Goron's Ruby."

"I follow your thinking, brother. You believe it will be the same situation at Zora's Domain – he'll have made demands of them, and they won't have given it up to him. Since he can't get his hands on any of the Spiritual Stones and he doesn't know you're going around collecting them, you can take the time to pursue little things along the way without consequence."

"Exactly. Like tracking down this little troublemaker. Ganondorf doesn't know about me, so I'm the perfect one to keep the Spiritual Stones safe. Once I've gathered them all I can take them to Princess Zelda at the Temple of Time, and we'll be able to protect the Sacred Realm from him – right under his nose."

"I am honoured to be your brother, Silver," Darunia laughed. "You couldn't have found a better way. You do realize of course that once you do this, you'll have made a mortal enemy out of Ganondorf?"

"You mean he isn't already?" I asked innocently.

"Oh dear," Navi murmured. "Not again."

"Oh, hush. It's not like he'll know where to find me, right? I'll be ready for him."

"Speaking of being ready," Darunia said. "Since you have the time, you may want to pay a call on the Great Fairy at the peak of Death Mountain. She will surely lend you her power and prepare you for what you have to do."

Darunia showed me on my map where to go to reach the Great Fairy, approvingly noting that the shield I had would do well for protecting me on the way up, though not what it would protect me from, then left me to finish my breakfast in peace.

* * *

"Who?" Tails asked shortly, forgetting to wait for his normal self to reassert itself after he shifted form. "Who was the other boy?"

"I didn't know at the time," Silver replied. "I just thought he was a Kokiri that had left the forest."

"So he wasn't a Kokiri either? What was he then?"

"You'll find out if you let me tell you the story, Tails. If I don't tell you things in the right order, they won't make any sense."

"Isn't that the excuse Zelda gave you?"

"Who says it was an excuse? Curl back up and listen, Tails. I'll tell you about him when we get to him."

* * *

The Gorons were all thankful for what I'd done, with many more of them around Goron City now. They were friendly, good-natured and very happy for what I'd done. I had more than a few offers of Goron hugs to see me off, which I sort of had to accept in the end. I didn't hear anything crack, but I definitely ached for a time after that send off.

On my way out a Goron told me that Medigoron, in thanks for my work, had forged what he called the Giant's Knife, a massive sword that I could barely wield even two-handed, and wanted me to take it 'for when you grow up enough to use it'. That would be some time, unless there happened to be no one around. I could just about hold it with my mind, but fighting like that wouldn't be very easy.

The trail to the Great Fairy was hidden behind the trail of rocks I'd noticed in my way up the mountain originally. At the time the only way of moving them had been with my mind, and with the Goron still there that was still going to attract attention. This time though, I had the bombs I could use to blow them up instead.

The Goron looked up at the sound of the first bomb going off, watching me set a second one so I could continue up. I suppose I could have floated up, but for some reason that idea never occurred to me.

After he watched me methodically blow up every rock along the way, he wandered up, examined the rubble then started to fill in a large gap with it, even filling in some of the small craters my bombing had left.

"Be careful if you're going to the top of Death Mountain," he warned me. "It is an active volcano. If you were a Goron you'd be alright, but you'll have to take care. That shield of yours should keep you safe if you hold it above you."

I didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but I took his advice. Since it was still not the easiest thing to wield due to my size, I waited until I was out of sight and then encouraged it to float above me instead.

Part way up the trail I understood. There was a thunderous detonation from the peak of Death Mountain, the mountain itself started to shake beneath me, then a shower of rocks, some on fire, some even glowing with heat and all a ruddy brown of superheated rock, came down around us. I quickly crouched beneath the shield, taking up as little space as I could so I'd be safe from most of the rocks, forming a mental barrier around me that would prevent any of the red-hot rocks from rolling in.

"Now I see where it got its name!" I yelled over the noise. "With this kind of welcome, it's no wonder it isn't on the list of holiday resorts!"

"I can't see that making people come," Navi called back, having to hover beside my ear just to be heard. "Welcome to Death Mountain, where we'll greet you with burning rocks! Very welcoming!"

The rockfall and noise began to subside, so I cautiously continued up the trail.

"I wonder if Ganondorf is responsible for this too?" I mused.

"Volcanoes are massive, Silver. No one can harness that kind of energy."

"Oh I know that, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have encouraged it to become more violent like this."

"I think you're just over-thinking it," Navi told me. "I hope you're up to doing this a lot more. We'll have to come back down again yet, and I don't think it'd be a good idea to try flying up there."

Sound thinking. The force of the rocks on the shield was stunning enough as it was, and I was bracing that with my mind. If I'd tried this by keeping it on my back and crouching low beneath it my back would have been black and blue with bruises in no time.

We paused for several more eruptions as we continued up the trail to a sheer cliff upwards. It had several naturally formed ledges on it, making it look as if a chunk of the mountain had just broken away, leaving chunks of rock behind and a random pattern of small holes that could, if you were daring enough, be used to scale the side.

Death Mountain erupted again, so I took shelter under one of the ledges while I waited for it to pass, searching ahead to see if there was anything to be concerned about. I was fairly sure I sensed a few Skulltulas, then when I passed the top and felt around I caught the sense of a powerful mind that had the same odd quality to it that I'd sensed in Saria. I couldn't quite place what it was, but I recognised it all the same. Perhaps this mind was somehow related to Saria?

With the ledges providing shelter I began my ascent of the cliff face, not by climbing but because I knew there was no one watching by floating up instead, slingshot in hand to defeat the Skulltulas along the way. It was a hard climb, and more than once I had to drop down and quickly take shelter beneath a ledge because the mountain erupted unexpectedly. I did not want to get brained by a rock halfway up the mountain, thank you very much.

When I finally passed the top edge of the face and landed on solid ground, I found the source of that odd mind – it was the owl again, perched on a pitted and charred wooden sign.

"What are you doing up here, Silver?" it asked me.

"Seeing the Great Fairy," I replied, looking around. There was a passage leading through the rock into what was probably the crater of Death Mountain, and a strange looking wall off to one side. It seemed out of place among the more natural rocks of the mountain, so I took out a bomb and lobbed it toward it. The owl quickly took off to avoid the explosion, then landed afterwards to look down the newly opened tunnel.

"When you have seen her, come back to see me here," the owl told me. "I can give you a lift back down to Kakariko Village, to save you from having to worry about the eruptions."

"Why not over to Zora's Domain?"

"I may be able to ferry you to Kakariko, but I am still an owl," it told me, overlooking its unusual size for an owl – at least as big as I was. "I cannot hold on for that long. You will have to make your way up-river to Zora's Domain yourself."

"Half measures are better than none I suppose," I muttered, just loud enough for the owl to hear, then went in to see the Great Fairy. Just like her cousin outside Hyrule Castle, her fountain was made of small, neatly fitted stones that were clearly not natural, and also just like her cousin she wasn't present, at least not visibly so, until I stood before the symbol of the Triforce and played Zelda's lullaby once again.

She too appeared with shrieked laughs, unlike the Great Fairy of Magic she actually sat up in the air rather than lounging on it, but once again the costume left very little to the imagination.

"Welcome, Silver!" she greeted me, even sounding the same as the Great Fairy of Magic. "I am the Great Fairy of Power."

"And... you're going to teach me a spell? Like your... uh... friend outside Hyrule Castle?"

"Oh, have you already gone to see her? She always did insist you'd see her first. No, Silver, I am not here to give you a spell – rather to teach you a new way to use your sword. I gather you know by now that you can use Din's Fire in ways others cannot."

"Of course. It's been very useful."

"And convincing," Navi added. "He didn't believe in magic until then."

The Great Fairy overlooked her comment. "As you know why, now it is time for you to learn to use magic in a different way. Should you channel it not into Din's Fire, but into the sword you carry, you will be able to do many things – from causing the ground to quake if you plunge your sword into it, to releasing a mighty spin attack that will reach far beyond the normal range of your sword. Should you ever be found worthy of the Sword of Evil's Bane, then you will find these powers become stronger still, and perhaps even discover new ones that only work with that sword."

"This... sword of Evil's Bane... where would I find it?" I asked curiously. It sounded like something useful I could use against Ganondorf.

The Great Fairy however had other ideas. "All will be revealed in due time, Silver. Now you must venture forth to collect the last Spiritual Stone. Before you embark on that quest, seek the next Great Fairy in the place where the Patron Deity of the Zoras is found. She will surely aid you further."

Then without another word, she vanished back into her fountain.

"Well that was useful," I muttered, wandering back out again. "A bit of advice, and getting pointed on to the next Great Fairy."

"Would you have thought to try your magic that way if she hadn't suggested it?" Navi said.

"Well no, but-"

"Then it wasn't a waste, was it?"

"What's all this noise?" a new voice echoed loudly into the tunnel. It sounded like a Goron, and very similar to Medigoron at that. When I emerged from the tunnel I saw why it was so similar – a Goron even bigger than Medigoron was stood towering over the top of the plateau.

"Would you be... Biggoron?" I asked somewhat hesitantly.

"That's right. Who are you, little fellow?" he asked, peering at me.

"I'm Silver – the one who cleared out Dodongo's Cavern."

"Oh? Is it open again? I heard it had been closed off, but I hadn't heard this."

"I did it just yesterday," I replied. "Darunia asked me to become his sworn brother for helping out. Oh, that reminds me – your brother Medigoron said to tell you he's still ahead of you."

"Good workmanship takes time," Biggoron shrugged a massive shrug. "When I'm done, I'll have a sword better than his. Of course, it would help if I had something to work with."

"Would this help?" I asked, reaching into the pouch to pull out the Giant's Knife. "It's the sword he forged."

Biggoron took it off me in two massive fingers, examining it.

"It's not bad work," he conceded. "But I think I can improve on it. If you don't mind leaving it with me, I can turn this into my sword in a few years. For a sworn brother of the Gorons, I won't even charge you for it."

"You're took kind," I answered. "Any idea how many years?"

"Good workmanship takes time," Biggoron repeated diffidently. "Just check back in a few years, ah..."

"Silver," I supplied.

"Silver. I'll remember that. Be sure to come see me," he added, then ducked back down out of sight, taking the Giant's Knife with him.

"Useful," Navi noted. "If you're still around by then."

"I'm sure I can wait around to pick it up Navi. Now then, how about we head back down to Kakariko Village, ah..."

"My name is Kaepora Gaebora," the owl answered. "Simply hold on to my talons, and I will carry you back down safely."

I still call him the owl even after that. It's easier to say.


	15. Silver's Scourge

The owl took me back town to Kakariko, much to the surprise of the residents. I think it was the owl that surprised them more than my casually dropping in on them, then climbing down from the rooftop I'd landed on.

Navi pointedly reminded me that I still needed a wash before I went anywhere near Zora's River, and after a nosy local overheard her I was not only told that the Zoras had harsh penalties for those who dirtied their water, but conveniently directed me to an open house where I could have just such a wash. I gathered they had a communal place for it because they hadn't invented plumbing on a large scale yet.

The shower they had might have been kind of primitive – a foot-powered pump that sent the water up and out – but at least I could actually have a decent shower. I would have preferred it hot rather than cold, but you can't have everything.

It was while I was in there I had the first encounter with the boy we only knew as the boy without a fairy. Navi, as you'd expect her to, waited just outside and kept watch on my tunic and other such things while I washed, taking care to get myself as well as the image – not as easy as it sounds when you can't see one of them.

From outside I heard Navi's voice, "Hey! Get your hands off that!"

"Why?" another voice asked, one I didn't recognise. "It's not like you can stop me. Nice sword," it went on. "I think I'll take it."

"I think you won't," I muttered, reaching out to find the sense of their mind. I knew more or less where they'd be, without thinking latching on and willing them to rise up.

"Hey! Put me down!"

"That's what you get for stealing," Navi said smugly. "I'll put you down when I feel like it."

I left them hanging in the air, not paying attention to them – then I realised there was something odd about the mind I'd just felt, and almost tentatively reached back out again, lightly brushing it. It was... familiar. Very familiar. I must have felt many minds like it before, but what in Hyrule was another hedgehog doing here – let alone one who's mind was suspiciously familiar to Sonic's, and believe me I'd recognise his mind anywhere.

If I discounted the differences in his attitude and mind, he was identical to Sonic – yet at the same time, this was not any mind I'd ever encountered before. Something was definitely worth investigating here.

Meanwhile he was still protesting, much to the amusement of Navi.

"You can let me down, I'll return the sword!"

"And everything else you stole?" Navi prompted.

"I didn't steal anything else!"

"Yes, you did. I saw you."

"Well, what would a dumb fairy know?" In response to that I 'accidentally' relaxed my hold on him, causing him to drop suddenly to the ground before I picked him up again.

"Sorry, what was that you said?" Navi asked sweetly.

The thief's muttered comments weren't audible, so I finished drying myself off and wandered back into view, pretending to pay no attention to the would-be thief. Just as Saria had said, he looked very similar to me. He bore the Kokiri green and had the same golden blonde hair, but unlike me he did not have the green cap and he had dark green eyes – not to mention a distinctly harder expression.

I went through all my belongings once I'd pulled the tunic back on, finding only two things missing – the two Spiritual Stones I'd worked so hard for.

"Hand them over," I told him firmly.

"Hand what over?" he replied belligerently. With a negligent flip of one hand he soared up and collided with the rafters. "You?" he demanded. "It was you all along! And you both let me think it was that fairy?"

"Navi could have done it too," I shrugged. "She's not as good as I am, so you'd probably have a rougher time, but she can do it. Now did you want to take up permanent residence up there, or did you want to return what you stole?"

The really-a-hedgehog boy reached into his own tunic, muttering to himself as he tossed down the Kokiri's Emerald and Goron's Ruby.

"There," he said flatly. "Now get me down from here."

"In a moment."

"You said-" he started, his voice soaring.

"Shut up," I cut him off, emphasising it with a close encounter with another supporting beam. "Navi, is there anyone else around that might overhear? I'm kinda busy with him right now."

Navi flew on out, and I felt her searching with her own mind too. If you know what to look for – figuratively speaking – you can tell when someone's doing those sort of things. After a moment she came back in.

"No one in earshot right now, Silver," she told me.

"Good. I happen to know that you up there are not as Hylian as you look – you're a hedgehog really, hidden beneath a fake image of one."

"How can you tell that?" he asked, looking startled.

"Hello? Who do you think you're talking to? A boy holding you up in the air with his mind. How do you think?"

I deliberately chose not to reveal that I too was not Hylian. He showed no impression of knowing, and even if he did happen to be in the same boat, I didn't trust him not to try to blab.

"Now, moving on," I cut across his feeble attempt to reply. "I want to know exactly who you are and what you're doing here."

"I'm not telling you anything," he asserted.

"Then you'll be staying up there a long time, hedgehog. I can hold you there for days if I want to. Any of the locals who care about the welfare of a thief will surely feed you – if they can find a way to reach."

"You can't do that!" he protested.

I gave my best impression of an evil grin and answered, "Watch me," turning to leave.

"Hey, wait! You can't leave me up here!"

His protests fell on conveniently deaf ears as Navi and I left the building, stopping just out of sight outside.

"Can you really hold him up there for that long?" she asked quietly.

"Sort of. He might drift down a little as I get further away, and if I go to sleep he'll fall from however high he is."

"Alright already, I get the idea!" the boy's voice came howling out.

"You knew he'd crack, didn't you?" Navi asked.

"Naturally. People don't seem to like being hung in mid-air for long periods of time. It seems to upset them. I take it you've had a change of heart up there?" I asked pleasantly as I re-entered.

"No, I said that for the fun of it," he snapped tartly. "Let me down and I'll tell you."

"Remind me again – which of us is in control here?"

He bore that look for a time before he gave in with clear reluctance.

"Fine. Whatever. It's not like it'll make a difference to you. Name's Scourge. I was..." he hesitated.

"Yes?"

"I was trying to get somewhere and ended up in that forest. The one with all the kids – you must know it, you got the same stuff as them."

"Kokiri Forest. I take it the Great Deku Tree gave them to you."

Scourge nodded, "Made me look like this too. Said I couldn't tell anyone what I was, 'cause there weren't any others like me around here. Will you get me down now?"

"Certainly – how quickly should I do it?"

The look of sudden terror on his face was priceless. Alright, so I was meant to be one of the good guys and everything, but he was a thief and he'd tried to steal from both me and my sworn brothers.

I brought him back down at a relatively safer pace, setting him back down on the ground.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again!" he shuddered back. I just left him there and headed back outside. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I've got errands to run," I shrugged. "You won't be able to follow."

"Why not?"

"Do you have a connection to the Royal Family?"

"I got up Death Mountain without needing one, doesn't that count for something?"

"You also tried to steal from them," I replied. "And the people here, not to mention me. Doesn't get overlooked easily."

"But-" he started, but as we headed out of the town gate, one of the guards grabbed him from behind.

"Stop, thief! This boy with you?" I was asked. I just shook my head and carried on.

"Silver! You can't leave me with him!" Scourge shouted after me.

"Says who," I said to no one in particular. "I wonder how he really got here?"

"Why didn't you tell him you're a hedgehog too?" Navi asked.

"I don't trust him. Given half the chance, I suspect he'd tell half of Hyrule what I am, and then I'd have to deal with that as well. Besides, if he knows what those two stones are... one word to Ganondorf is all it would take."

"I guess you've got a point there," she admitted. "We want to go east for Zora's River."

Fortunately the trip from Kakariko wasn't as hard or long as others had been. Since the entrance to Zora's Domain lay upstream, all I had to do was follow their river. Once I assured myself there was no one likely watching I decided it was safe to float over the river and follow the rough, overgrown path on the other side. It didn't appear that many people went this way to Zora's Domain.

Once I was at the river itself I continued on foot, keeping a wary eye out as I picked my way through the rough and sometimes broken terrain, often weaving back and forth over Zora's River. Along the way I saw blue Tektites, identical to their red cousins except they could float on the water's surface, an ability that irritated me a great deal later on, and what Navi identified as Octoroks, purple squid-like creatures that spat... well, I don't know what they were, but they made a metal kind of sound when bounced off my shield and they looked like giant popcorn.

While the Hylian shield was unwieldly to handle physically, it was useful when it was persuaded to hover conveniently nearby. Not that I imagine the Octoroks agreed.

Like most of my travels in Hyrule this was routinely calm, so it wasn't long before we found ourselves before a great waterfall, the sheer force of which even I couldn't stand against. There was however a weathered and worn, but still definable carving in the floor that meant this was another place I needed Zelda's lullaby, and with that song played the Zora people lessened the flow of the waterfall for a short time to let me in.


	16. Message in a Bottle

Zora's Domain was, like Goron City, housed in an immense cavern. Unlike the home of the Gorons though, there was only one path through for those who did not want to swim, branching further in to either lead up to King Zora and the top of the crashing waterfall inside, or down to the shop and the water's edge.

The sound of the water wasn't exactly loud as such, but it echoed a great deal. The rush of the waterfall outside and the one in here became a low rumble with the faint sounds of the water lapping at the walls of the cavern or playing on the rocky shoreline where it met shallower ground.

Beneath the water's surface there was a stone archway where tiny movements in the water suggested there was some flow of water out that way to whatever was beyond. Given the water flowing over the waterfall, it seemed to be the only way for the water to escape without flooding the cavern.

Not that this would have bothered the Zora people – they were human, or Hylian here in Hyrule, except they had a pale blue skin and fins protruding from their arms and sometimes even legs. They looked almost like wings really. I spotted gills on one curious Zora near the entrance, and given his eyes I suspected they too were adapted to an amphibious life. These creatures were equally at home on land as they were in water. Some few of them had scales, but they were very fine and difficult to see against their colouration.

While they did not share the outgoing friendliness the Gorons did, the Zora people were civil and polite at least, but they're almost impossible to talk to! Small talk just isn't a skill they've ever got the hang of.

Unlike the Gorons, they left their domain well-signposted, not that there was much to direct visitors to. I was given a few curious looks as I made my way around, following the signs up to the audience chamber of King Zora. An attending Zora stopped me just before I entered.

"His Majesty is not receiving guests right now," the Zora told me. "He is deeply concerned for his missing daughter, the Princess Ruto, and has no words for anyone else."

"Not even me?"

"You may be related to the Hylian royal family, but that does not make you special. It merely allows you entry."

"What about if I found out what had happened to the princess? What then?"

"Do you know?"

"Not yet," I admitted. "But I need to talk to King Zora, and that means I need to find out what happened to Princess Ruto. Do you have anything I can work with?"

The Zora considered this momentarily, then told me to wait, striding ahead to the dais before the rotund King Zora, bedecked only in a red and slightly damp cloak.

"Your Majesty, may I speak?" the Zora asked respectfully. The Zora king did not reply. "Your Majesty, there is one here who offers to help find your daughter."

"Let him help," the reply came shortly. "Maybe they will have better luck than we have."

"As you wish, your Majesty," the Zora bowed slightly, then returned to me. "You heard?"

"Of course," I replied.

"I can tell you only this: Princess Ruto was last seen three days ago, attending to our patron deity, Lord Jabu-Jabu. She was not seen to return to her quarters. A thorough search of Lord Jabu-Jabu's lake was made, but she was not found anywhere. We have Zoras swimming downstream to find any sign of her, but if they should reach Lake Hylia with no sign then there is little else we can do."

"What about the Lake Hylia itself?"

"Two Zora went through the underwater tunnel you no doubt saw on your way in to inspect the lake the moment we knew she was missing. There was no sign of her. You may wish to begin your own search there, as outsiders are not permitted to see Lord Jabu-Jabu. Follow the water's flow here to the waterfall; you may dive down from there."

The Zora said no more after that. It wasn't much to go on, but since I had no doubt King Zora was the one I'd have to get the Spiritual Stone from, I needed to help him. At least this time I wouldn't have to risk my life yet again.

There was another Zora at the top of the waterfall, who suggested that since I was diving down anyway, maybe I'd like to participate in a game – pay him 20 rupees and he'd throw them and some more rupees down below, where they'd sink to the bottom and I'd have to dive down to get them within a time limit for a prize.

I wasn't exactly short of rupees as such, but it was a harmless little thing I could do, and as the Zora said, I was heading down there anyway. I wasn't entirely keen on soaking myself clean through, but since they had a shortcut to Lake Hylia that was underwater...

The Zora threw down the rupees and I dived down after them, arching my back as I did so I'd enter the water like a knife. I'm far from an expert, but I do know how to dive from a heigh without employing my mind.

No, I didn't cheat in collecting the rupees, tempting as it was. Those Zoras can see very well in water, and since I was the curiosity of the day here, all eyes were on me. Naturally, I did collect them all. The Zora up above dived down to join me, reaching down behind him for a moment the handing me a small silver scale that would allow me – through magic, I presumed – to stay underwater for longer before I had to take a breath.

I got to experience yet more magic first hand when I dived down to the stone archway that led to Lake Hylia – I knew it was at the opposite end of Hyrule to Zora's Domain and should have taken the better part of a day to reach, but this short stone corridor took me there in a few strokes with a brief flash along the way, similar to the one that had nullified the image of me. I checked just to make sure that hadn't happened again, but it appeared intact, if wet.

Once I surfaced to catch my breath I got somewhere shallower and looked out over the vast lake.

"This is gonna take some time," I muttered. "Even a Zora would find it hard to search the whole place. I should have touched on a Zora mind before we came here, then I'd know what I was looking for."

"You can tell the difference between the mind of a monster and something more intelligent, like Zoras and Hylians, right?" Navi said.

"Usually, it all depends on how complex their mind is. Monsters generally aren't as bright, so they're harder to detect."

"So why not just search the lake with your mind? Only a Zora or someone diving would be down there, so anything you find is almost certainly worth investigating."

"True. Lend me a hand again, Navi? If we both search it, it'll take less time."

There were a few false starts at first. For me, because I was shivering in a chill breeze, still dripping wet, and for Navi because she wasn't as used to this as I was. She didn't have the same kind of reach as me, but her ability to fly made up for that. I still had to search the deeper reaches myself.

Somewhere within an isle in the lake there was a large collection of monster life that had only one more intelligent mind in, and while that was familiar I couldn't quite place it. Like Scourge, I could identify it as a hedgehog, but at this distance that was all. That made three hedgehogs here, including me. What was this, a hedgehog holiday resort?

There was no way for me to dive that far down safely to investigate though, so I had to leave that mind alone and continue to search. As lunchtime drew near, Navi rejoined me and we reluctantly conceded there was no one down there. I caught us a fish – well, I say caught, but I just found one and raised it up out of the water, not really catching. Din's Fire provided an easy way of cooking it, so I had something to eat while I considered the situation. Navi apparently didn't need to eat, or if she did she'd already seen to it. I suspect she lived off magic, but she wouldn't tell me.

While we sat on the shore of Lake Hylia, we passed ideas back and forth. Most of them suggested that since the Zoras hadn't seen her go to her rooms – wherever the Zora rooms were – maybe something had happened between her and this Jabu-Jabu, but since the Zoras wouldn't let us in to see him there was nothing we could do there.

"What is doing that?" I muttered irritably at one point when something caught the sunlight and flashed it in my eyes. "I know there's no one down there."

"I think I see something," Navi said, looking toward the source of the flash, then flying out over the lake. "There's something here!" she called. With it flashing light in my eyes I couldn't see exactly, but I did feel her reach out to something The flashing broke off, or at least started to illuminate somewhere else, then she flew back to shore with something trailing after her.

"A bottle?" I said, making it out as she got closer. "Did someone throw it away?"

"There's something inside it. I didn't want to try and get it out underwater, and its probably sealed tightly anyway. No water is inside there."

Sure enough, there was a thin roll of parchment inside, tied with a blue ribbon and a round blue seal that had a symbol on it, like three circles arranged in a triangle, each one with a 'u' shaped line around it facing outward.

After struggling to remove the stopper by hand, I muttered a few choice comments and forced it out from the inside. I may have overdone it slightly, as Navi had to quickly retrieve the stopper before it got lost in the lake, while I broke the seal, untied the ribbon and read out the message written on the parchment.

"Listen to this, Navi. 'Help me. I am waiting for you within Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly. Princess Ruto. PS – don't tell my father.' I think we might have to ignore that last, otherwise he'll never let us in to see Jabu-Jabu in the first place."

"It explains why the Zoras couldn't find her. I'll bet they never thought their patron diety would swallow their princess."

"I wonder how to get him to swallow us too?" I mused, putting the message back in the bottle then sealing it tightly.

"We can ask King Zora when we show that to him," Navi suggested. "We'll have to go that way anyway."

That of course meant going for another swim, and another trip through the magic archway to go back to Zora's Domain. I paid a little closer attention as I passed through this time, suspecting the flash I'd seen would happen again.

It did, and I didn't like what I saw. The image the Great Deku Tree had given me flickered momentarily, threatening to fail entirely. Fortunately it managed to restore itself before I fully emerged into the view of the Zoras, but I decided it wasn't going to be safe to use magic shortcuts like that any more. That in itself gave me reason to suspect that the nightmares I'd had where Ganondorf had appeared might be more than just nightmares – and this could explain why in those nightmares, I had appeared without benefit of the image. Had it been a premonition of sorts, and if so what would the consequences be?


	17. A Touch of Wind

Once I'd dried off a little, not that the Zoras seemed to mind either way, I headed back up the winding path to see King Zora. The attendant Zora was still there, but this time aside from a brief admonishment to mind my manners, he let me pass unquestioned this time.

"Your Majesty," I greeted him with a respectful nod. "I believe I know what has befallen your daughter." The Zora King focused on me, motioning with one oddly small arm for me to continue. "At Lake Hylia, I found this," I went on, holding up the bottle that I'd returned the letter to. "I've since read the message inside, written by Princess Ruto. She says she is inside the belly of Jabu-Jabu."

"What?" he exclaimed, suddenly becoming animated. Or at least, as much animated as his thin arms and legs could make him with his vast bulk. "That's impossible – Lord Jabu-Jabu would never do such a thing!"

"If I might interrupt, your Majesty," the attending Zora broke in, then to me, "May I see the message?" Once again I uncorked the bottle, shaking out the parchment. While I couldn't restore the seal, I had re-tied the ribbon around it. "The seal is authentic, your Majesty, and the writing appears to be her Highness' own."

"Bring it to me, let me verify that myself," King Zora spoke firmly. The Zora made his way up an adjoining path that led up to the dais his King sat upon, handing it over. The King examined it himself, reading Princess Ruto's message and I assume checking the handwriting really was hers.

Meanwhile I held my breath and hoped they wouldn't suspect me of orchestrating any of this – so far it appeared that Ganondorf had not actually been here, and this was a complete coincidence.

"It does appear to be hers," King Zora finally announced. "Where did you find this, young lad?"

"The bottle was lodged between two rocks in Lake Hylia, your Majesty," I answered. "I happened across it by sheer chance, as the sunlight flashed off the glass bottle at me."

"Is it possible those we sent there missed it?" he asked the attendant Zora.

"Entirely possibly, my King," he answered ruefully. "You did instruct them to look for the Princess. We did not anticipate something like this."

"Yet it seems unusual... not something Lord Jabu-Jabu would normally do. And yet, he has been acting... strange lately."

"May I speak, your Majesty?" I asked, then when he once again gestured to me, "I recently had to visit the Goron people at Death Mountain, where they had lost access to the Dodongo's Cavern because of a desert man in black named Ganondorf, who had demanded the Goron's Ruby from them only to have them refuse. Could it be that Jabu-Jabu's unusual behaviour may have stemmed from a similar source?"

"Such a man did come here just three days ago," King Zora admitted. "He was after the Zora's Sapphire which my late wife entrusted to my daughter. It was only after he left empty-handed that Lord Jabu-Jabu began acting strangely, but this Ganondorf, he was not allowed into Lord Jabu-Jabu's lake."

"I've heard rumours of his powers, your Majesty. It may be possible he only needed to get close enough, and maybe even did something from right here."

"Are such things truly possible?"

"With magic, my king, almost anything is possible," the attending Zora said. "We know this from our shortcut to Lake Hylia. Perhaps we should inform the Hylian King of this, and request his aid?"

"I may be able to save you the trip," I told them. "I may be young, but I have some small magic myself. I helped the Gorons by removing Ganondorf's influence there. If you will permit it, I will venture into Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly to find your daughter, and if I find Ganondorf is responsible for him too, I'll clear that up too."

The King was clearly hopeful, but also reluctant. "Noble words, young lad, but you are as you say young yet. Even armed as you are, surely you can understand I cannot allow just anyone to undertake this."

"Perhaps we should ask him to demonstrate the magic he says he has?" the attending Zora suggested. "In a safe means, of course."

And that was why I mentioned the 'small magic' I had – in case they wanted some proof of my ability. Alright, so the only real magic I had was Din's Fire and the short crash-course in using magic in my sword techniques, but as the Great Fairy of Magic had said, both that and my own abilities came from the same source.

Since I wouldn't be telling anyone the real source of some of my abilities, I judged it safe to show off a little. Right in front of the two of them, I went from standing up on the raised dais just before King Zora to floating above it, lounging in mid-air. Then to emphasise the point, I gestured to the nearby Zora and gently caused him to rise up in the air too with a startled gasp. Even King Zora himself seemed amazed.

Once I'd set us both back down again, I said, "There's a great deal more too, but you did specify a safe way."

"A convincing display," King Zora murmured. "What is your name lad, and why did you come to us – besides to offer your aid?"

"I'm Silver, your Majesty. I came at Princess Zelda's request to obtain the three Spiritual Stones. Rather than demand them like Ganondorf did, I've instead been working hard for them, helping people out in return for them. I had thought to ask you for the Zora's Sapphire after I'd found Princess Ruto, but if she's the one protecting it I'll ask her instead."

"To what end does the Princess want the stones?"

"We seek to stop Ganondorf from using them to plunder the power of the Triforce from the Sacred Realm."

"Your cause is just then, noble Silver. Go forth with our best wishes – you will find Lord Jabu-Jabu at the far end of the cavern behind me."

"Might I suggest catching a fish just outside before you see Lord Jabu-Jabu?" the attendant said. "Offering one to him is likely the only way to get him to swallow you too."

"I'll see to it. Thank you both. I'll have your daughter back before you know it, your Majesty," I added, then headed for the waterfall to catch a fish below. While I was on the way out, King Zora started to shuffle aside to allow me to pass through a gap in the railings behind him that barred the path to Jabu-Jabu's lake, all the while making odd 'wheep' sounds. Maybe that's just the way Zora's are.

* * *

Jabu-Jabu was a great fish who rested in a lake with his mouth just resting on the edge of a stone shrine. There was a sign there that, roughly translated – this being me with my poor Hylian, remember – suggested that feeding him was entirely up to Princess Ruto, and no one else should disrupt it. I was going to have to ignore her there as well. I just hoped she didn't mind.

Before I fed him though I hovered above the lake to get an idea of the area. There was a raised cavern in the northern wall with no obvious access for the more normal people, and there was a chill wind coming from it – like the one I'd felt at Lake Hylia, but much colder.

In the southeastern corner of the lake was what I was looking for. The Great Fairy of Power had directed me to seek out the local Great Fairy, and my mind found the familiar presence of a Great Fairy behind a loose wall of rocks. A bomb easily scattered them allowing me entry into the familiar fountain, and Zelda's lullaby naturally granted me an audience with her. Like the first Great Fairy, she lounged in the air almost the same way I just had in front of King Zora.

After the typical shriek of laughter before she appeared, she greeted me the same way all the others had done. "Welcome, Silver! I am the Great Fairy of Magic."

"Wait, didn't I see you already up at Hyrule Castle?" I asked.

"She's my twin sister. No one can tell us apart, so we share the title. Now, I have a magic spell for you, much like she did." She reached down to me, a stone very similar to Din's Fire appearing in her hands. Where Din's Fire had a red fire core, this stone appeared to have a swirl of green light for its core.

"What is it called, and what does it do?"

"That is Farore's Wind. You may use it when in any dungeon – any place your quest takes you where monsters hold sway – and use it to teleport around. Your first use will-"

"Wait – you know I can use these differently, right?"

"You can?" she seemed surprised. "How?"

I gave her a brief demonstration with Din's Fire, sending a lick of flame dancing around the fountain.

"How remarkable," she murmured. "Perhaps you may be able to unlock the full potential of that spell then. It's original use was designed to set a point to which you could return at any time... but perhaps in your hands you could use it to teleport to any room you have been to before, for you must know the location before you can go there. You may even be able to use it outside of a dungeon... but that is for you to discover."

"Thanks for this. And if you see your sister, would you tell her she was right? I'm sure she'd like to know I've already started using Din's Fire in new ways."

The Great Fairy smiled, then as they all do, vanished back into the fountain with more shrieks of laughter. I did wish they wouldn't hit the higher pitches so easily, but you can't really tell them that without seeming rude.

On the way out, Navi remarked, "You know Silver, you're making all kinds of friends along the way. Two magic spells, a new sword from Biggoron in a few years, sworn brother of the Gorons – keep this up and you won't have to worry about Scourge telling half of Hyrule, because the other half will defend you."

"I hope you're right, because I don't think this image is going to hold for long. I don't even know how the Great Deku Tree made it work, all he said was that it used my own abilities, so I can't recreate it. If it fails, Hyrule is going to find out what I really am."

"Is that really so bad? As long as people know you're not a monster, and your friends know you're still you, what's the problem?"

"Be honest Navi, can you really see people accepting me for what I am that easily?"

"You might be surprised. By the way – can anything block out our minds?"

"I suppose it's possible. I've never actually encountered anyone who can do the same things you and I can though, so I can't say for sure. Why do you ask?"

"I just tried to search inside Jabu-Jabu for a Zora, but it's like there's nothing there."

"Odd. I wonder if it's just you?"

I searched ahead myself, not just for Zoras but for anything. I could feel the presence of Jabu-Jabu's mind, but like Navi I couldn't find anything inside.

"Either that letter is wrong... or something is stopping us. It could be Jabu-Jabu himself though, his mind is as strong as he is big. It could be blotting out anything else there."

"I didn't think of that," Navi admitted. "I guess it could be inconvenient, not being able to do that inside then."

"I don't know about that. It's not exactly a necessity, you know. I haven't relied on it so far, so why start now?"

"You're inconsistent, Silver," she accused. "First you say you don't want to use your mind back at the Great Deku Tree. Then you change your mind and use it more in Dodongo's Cavern. Now you've gone back again."

"I never said I wasn't going to use my mind," I corrected her. "Just that I didn't rely on it. That's what this is for." I tapped the sword under my belt. "Now, why don't we arrange for Jabu-Jabu to have some dinner?"

"As long as he doesn't chew," Navi muttered.

He didn't, fortunately. The fish I'd caught in Zora's Domain was let out of the bottle to flop around weakly in front of Jabu-Jabu, looking miniscule in comparison. Then I can only assume Jabu-Jabu caught the scent of the fish, his great mouth opening wide with a sudden gale of wind as he sucked the fish, Navi and finally me inside all in one great breath.


	18. Silvershocked

A dungeon that is in fact the inside of a fish has to be one of the stranger places my quests took me. Jabu-Jabu's mouth had closed around us, the fish long vanished down what I assumed was his throat. Now Navi and I stood in his mouth, a ring of teeth around us that hardly suggested he'd let us back out again.

Where the light in this place came from I had no idea. It was as if the fleshy walls or the blood vessels that were visible put out enough light to see by.

Several empty bubbles about the same size as I was bounced harmlessly around the mouth. Once I started down his tongue toward the throat, out of the pool of saliva came two Octoroks. Easily dealt with like most others by having my shield put itself in their path.

There was a kind of fleshy barrier with green webbing over it that prevented me from going any further, until Navi suggested shooting his tonsils. I don't know where she got the idea from or why it should work – except for magic – but a seed shot from the slingshot caused the tonsils to retract and the webbing to disappear. The barrier flipped open to permit me through, and closed again right afterwards.

From here on I have no idea what part of Jabu-Jabu's belly was what internal organ. It didn't make much sense for one thing, and I wasn't really paying attention for another, because the... room? Area? Whatever it was, it looked like an organic crossroads, four routes away, one unreachable, one blocked off with what for want of a better word was a wall, and the opposite 'door' only accessible by a thin path that reached around the west side of the room, leaving the rest as a sheer drop to whatever was below. Except where a strange, floating platform with spikes protruding around the bottom appeared.

Also here was my first encounter with an enemy that I quickly learned to hate.

"Navi, there are jellyfish floating in the air here," I said, reaching for my sword. "Anything I should know about them?"

"Don't hit them with your sword," she replied. "Those are Biri – they'll electrocute you on contact, and certainly through your sword."

"Oh yeah? What about if I'm not holding it in my hand then, I wonder?"

I took hold of it with my mind and sent it toward the nearest Biri, where I learned the lesson of not assuming my mind would get around these things. The Biri sent a current through the sword, which then followed the path back to my mind, causing a bolt of electricity to jump from the sword straight into me.

With the loss of focus that came with that, my sword dropped to the floor and the Biri, making crackling sounds that seemed almost like laughter, floated away. The image, thankfully, remained intact – that was my main worry right now. If it failed and I had to explain to King Zora why I looked different...

Once I got hold of myself I lashed out in irritation, intending to hit it with my mind instead of my sword. The Biri sent another jolt back to me in response to that, continuing to float around unharmed.

"You little-" I started, but Navi got in my way.

"Silver, no! If you keep that up you'll only make yourself worse. You can't fight them with anything you have right now. You'll just have to let them be and avoid them for now."

"If any more of them show up that'll be easier said than done," I muttered darkly. "What are these stupid things even doing in here anyway?"

"Ganondorf's magic? Just leave it alone and move on, Silver."

You'd never have thought such a simple enemy would have made me so irritated as quickly and simply as that.

I did relieve that just a little. There were two small boxes hidden in the dead-end route, one of which I picked up and threw at the Biri to destroy it.

"That was for shocking me," I told the empty air. It was petty, but it made me feel a bit better.

The door – I'm going to call them that, because I don't know what else to call them – let me through into a a strange, large area that held several more Biri, what appeared to be sinkholes in the fleshy floor, a door on the far side of the area that was not covered in the webbing that marked a locked door, and a green tentacle thing that pulsed periodically, the pulses headed down through one of the sinkholes.

All those... and a Zora.

"You're Princess Ruto?" I asked the startled Zora, who hadn't seen me come in.

"Who're you?"

"I'm Silver. Good thing I found you so soon. I'm here to get you back out of Jabu-Jabu."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I found the letter you left in a bottle that said you were here. Your father let me through, now are you coming or not?"

"I don't know anything about a letter, and I'm certainly not going anywhere with you! I have to find one of my belongings before I can leave anyway."

Without giving me a chance to reply, she turned away and started walking – right for one of the sinkholes.

"Princess, watch out!" I called, but it was too late – it had already sucked her down. I stared after her for a moment then sighed. "Nothing is ever simple in Hyrule, is it? Oh, go away," I snapped irritably at a nearby Biri, though since I couldn't do anything to it, it was me that got out the way.

"I wonder what she's lost?" Navi mused. "And why she said she didn't know about the letter?"

"I don't know, but it looks like we're going to have to follow her to get to the bottom of this. I don't like the idea of getting sucked down after her though."

"There's a hole in the floor just to your left, Silver," Navi told me. "Maybe it leads to the same room. I don't see a safe way to climb down though."

"Did you forget who I am?" I asked, like I had for King Zora floating in the air to head down the narrow hole. The area below was equally as large as it was above, the sinkholes clearly visible in what in a normal dungeon would have been called the ceiling. The tentacle on one side continued through, and even appeared to go on down into the 'floor', blocking off access to a door behind.

There were more Biri down here, a door leading southwest and another leading east.

Ruto appeared to have fallen down safely, standing with an expression that was probably just as irritated as my own. It softened slightly as she curiously watched me float over to her, carefully avoiding the Biri.

"How did you do that?" she aked.

"Magic," I answered shortly. "I'm not leaving here without you, princess. I'm told you have the Zora's Sapphire, and Princess Zelda sent me to pick it up for her. Whatever it is you're doing here, at least let me help you with it so we can get out sooner."

"I told you I don't need any help from you!" her voice soared, hitting pitches that until now only the Great Fairies had managed to reach. "But... it's the Zora's Sapphire that's missing. So since you want it too... I'll give you the honour of carrying me around while you find it for me."

Ruto sat down on the floor beside me, looking expectantly at me.

"Whatever you say, your highness," I said a bit flippantly, then with a gesture and a startled outcry from her, I made her float in the air just behind me as I headed through the eastward door beside us. The door conveniently remained open to allow her through as well.

"Put me down!" she shrieked.

"After you told me to carry you around? Make up your mind already."

"This wasn't what I meant!"

I whirled around to face the Zora princess and snapped, "With these monsters around, I'm going to need my hands to fight them off, and I can't do that if I'm carrying you, so if you want me to carry you can just accept that this is how I'm going to do it and kindly shut up!"

Ruto looked shocked. I got the impression Navi was just as surprised by this outburst as well. To tell the truth, I was as well, but as far as things went, I did have a point. Ruto chose not to complain any more after that. I think once she got over it, she actually started to enjoy it.

Meanwhile I followed the curious tunnel round a corner as it turned southwards, shoving more of the bubbles along ahead of me to keep them out the way until it opened into a larger room, split in two by a very shallow pool of water. Several little fins protruded from the floor in that pool.

"Navi. Those fin things. Am I going to have to treat them like I do the Biri?"

"No, those are just stingers. If you can handle holding two things-"

"Hey!" Ruto objected. "Who're you calling a thing?"

"-at once," Navi continued without missing a beat. "Then you should be able to just pull them out of the floor and stab them a couple of times to defeat them."

That was convenient. The Stingers did not take kindly to being dragged forcefully out of the ground, angrily trying to fly at me. I just held them in place and stabbed each one twice to defeat them.

Once they had all been dealt with I re-evaluated the room. There was nothing actually stopping me from heading for the opposite door as such, as long as the bubbles didn't get in the way. I could simply float over the shallow water with Ruto in tow, but there was a switch in the water, and I was curious.

Over objections from her, I had Ruto float past me and down onto the switch to trigger it. I ignored her complaints, watching as the water level rose up to hold at almost floor level. Now if I wanted, I could swim over.

I gave it a critical look then floated over anyway with the muttered remark, "I've gotten wet enough times today."

"Hey! Don't forget me!" Ruto, who was now floating just above the water, called after me.

"Chance would be a fine thing."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Princess," I sighed, having her continue her airbourne tour of Jabu-Jabu.

The door was covered with webbing that, like in the mouth, disappeared when a dangling... thing was shot, allowing us to pass through into a tall room that had two Octoroks waiting in the water for us. I reflected their attacks back at them with an absent thought, decided to ignore the opening I could see just underwater that looked as if it led somewhere else, then waited for a platform up above to come down.

It was as it descended I realised this was below the room where I'd first met a Biri, and this spiked platform was the same one I'd seen there, taking us back up a level. Some use this side trip had been. Maybe now I'd find out what was on the other side of the room with the sinkholes.

The Biri above had thankfully not been revived, but the gathering in the sinkhole room was still there. I had to pick my way carefully through the room avoiding sinkholes and Biri alike, not just for me but for Ruto as well. The Princess conveniently, if shrilly, complained whenever one of them got too close, serving as an effective warning system.

When we eventually emerged into the corridors beyond, we saw several things immediately. For one thing this initial corridor split into three, and the two side paths also split into two more. Furthermore, the three heading north were all blocked by the same kind of tentacle I'd seen in the sinkhole room, leaving only two possible routes, and along all the routes were little pincer things that Navi identified as Tailparasan – nasty flying wormlike creatures that had the irritating habit of electrocuting anyone on contact, like the Biri. Jabu-Jabu's belly was becoming a distinctly hostile place, filled with creatures that I had no easy means of defeating.

With only two options I opted to take the eastmost route first, carefully avoiding the Tailparasan along the way. That turned out to be a good choice, though I'm not sure I can safely chalk it up to coincidence. Sometimes Hyrule's Goddesses aren't very subtle.

The door led us into a dead end, cavernous chamber that had four more Stingers in, swiftly dealt with in the same way as the previous ones, causing a large chest to appear.

"Chests? Inside Jabu-Jabu?" I said half-heartedly. "Seriously, did someone just feed him a load of random items and tell him to scatter them around his innards?"

"Don't be so absurd," Ruto told me. "I manage Jabu-Jabu's meals personally."

"I know, I read the sign outside," I replied, reaching into the massive chest and all the empty space inside to retrieve a sturdy wooden boomerang. "Well, isn't this convenient? Maybe I can use this to deal with all the Biri infesting this place without getting blasted full of electricity."

"Didn't you think to come prepared?" Ruto asked.

"I didn't think to find monsters inside your patron deity," I retorted. "Let alone ones that electrocute intruders."

"Don't snap at me like that. I don't know why they're here. I've been coming inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly for years, but they've never been here before."

"Must be Ganondorf then," Navi suggested. "After all, Dodongo's Cavern didn't have any monsters in until the Gorons refused to give him their Spiritual Stone."

"Him? That desert man?" Ruto asked as we headed back out. I sent the boomerang on ahead, guiding it with my mind to persuade it to get rid of all the Tailparasan.

"That's him," I confirmed. "Your father said he'd been here, but left empty-handed."

"Well naturally," Ruto said offhandedly. "I could never give the Zora's Sapphire to someone like him. My mother did tell me I should only give it to the man I planned to marry, and I was hardly going to marry him!"

Uh-oh. Was she seriously going to try to force that on me if I asked for it? I decided not to pursue the point right then.

"Didn't you say the Spiritual Stone was what you lost in here?" Navi asked her.

"It got lost when Lord Jabu-Jabu swallowed me," Ruto admitted. "That's why I'm still here. I'm not leaving without it, and since Silver refuses to leave without me, he'll just have to find it for me."

"How nice of you," I muttered, hoping it was quiet enough neither of them would notice.

With the Tailparasan gone I retraced our route to where the first branch happened, then took the only other viable route, the westernmost one. This led to another webbed door, the switch for which would not stay pressed. The Cane of Somalia I'd found in Dodongo's Cavern persuaded it to be more cooperative.

This let us into another large chamber, empty but for a long red tentacle hanging from the top. Unlike the one in the sinkhole room, which had been more green in colour, this one did not reach to the floor.

It did however swipe for me when I got within reach. My sword just bounced off it the first time, after which it started crackling warningly. Well, I had something to deal with that now, but the boomerang wasn't likely to penetrate the tough tentacle any better than the sword was.

"Up here," Navi called down. For some reason the tentacle ignored here. "It's thinner here – aim for here!"

I threw the boomerang, once again guiding its course to keep it true. It caught the tentacle at the thinnest spot, causing it to write back and retract into the ceiling so the narrow part was no longer visible.

It didn't come back out again, not even when I retrieved the boomerang. Only when I got close enough for it to reach me again did it come back into view, and that allowed me to send the boomerang back up, ducking under a swipe the tentacle made for me. It retracted back again, but this time because I was still in range it returned sooner, and I just guided the boomerang back to it again, causing the tentacle to drop to the floor where it exploded into green gunk that soon faded away.

The big chest that appeared this time held a map of Jabu-Jabu's belly, which I gave to Ruto.

"You can give me directions if I ever get lost," I told her. "Since I'm carrying you around looking for the Spiritual Stone for you, you can make use of it in return."

I didn't mention to her that she could probably read the Hylian on it better than I could.

"I bet the red tentacles we saw in the hallways outside have gone now," Navi suggested. "Maybe that will give us more places to reach."

"Turn left as you leave," Ruto called imperiously to me. Maybe it had been a bad idea to give it to her.

Her directions led me to yet another cavernous room, this one filled with bubbles. Since the door covered itself with webbing after we entered, there was little choice but to eliminate all of the bubbles. It seemed faintly unethical to just throw the boomerang and watch as it appeared to happily defy natural law as it aimed for each bubble in turn, but I was still bothered by the first encounter with a Biri, and decided if it meant making things easier I wasn't going to be above that sort of thing. In moderation.


	19. Persistent Problems

The room of bubbles had yielded nothing, except a bit of practise for me to get used to guiding the boomerang. The webbing over the door cleared once they had all been popped, allowing us back out.

Ruto told me to take the next corridor over, but since that was still blocked by a blue tentacle, we skipped that for the following and now clear one. The tail of the blue tentacle was in this cavern chamber, easily dealt with like the previous red one had, and with it out the way we were able to go back to the room she'd originally guided us to.

"More Biri," I complained once inside. There was a flock of them floating about, occasionally electrocuting Jabu-Jabu. Most hovered between me and the green tail within. "At least this time I can do something about them."

The Biri that were attacking Jabu-Jabu quickly stopped to come after me, apparently realising that the boomerang flying around was being controlled by me. They weren't the first creature to be able to sense that. I was able to catch each of them before they got too close, neatly mopping them up before I turned on the green tail. It wasn't any harder to defeat than the previous two, as long as I remained close enough for it to try to strike at me while the boomerang attacked the weaker narrow section above me.

"Now we should be able to reach where that tentacle was blocking off," Ruto said. "I wish I'd brought something with me to do this."

"Didn't think to come prepared?" I asked, returning her own accusation against her.

"Like I said," she sniffed. "They've never been here before. Get moving, minion."

"Minion!" I objected. "As if it wasn't bad enough I'm carrying you around!"

Ruto didn't answer that, leaving me to make my way back to the sinkhole room – where after having to avoid them up until now, I stopped to deal with all the Biri, causing two larger jellyfish things to drop down, both blocking my path.

"That's a Bari," Navi identified them. "They're tougher than Biri, but they don't move around."

"How convenient," I murmured, then dispatched them too.

I still refused to get sucked down the sinkholes though, so I headed down the hole Navi had pointed out just after we'd met Ruto for the first time, the Zora Princess following just above me, completely calmly.

There were still other Biri down here, again easily dispatched before we headed through the door the green tentacle had been blocking off. That took us to yet another massive room, this one with shallow water around a low central platform, forming a wet ring.

On the platform was a glowing blue stone that looked identical to the seal on the letter Ruto claimed to know nothing about – the Zora's Sapphire, undoubtedly.

"That's it!" Ruto exclaimed. "That's my precious stone! Let me go Silver, I have to get it!"

I set her down on the dry – well, dryer – platform, letting go of her as I asked, "You are going to let me have it, aren't you? I did tell you I needed it."

"Once we get out of here," she said almost absently as she scooped it up. "I'm so glad I found it at last. When he swallowed it-" she stopped suddenly, taking tight hold of the Zora's Sapphire as the platform shook suddenly, then rose up. I tried to follow, but the platform moved too quick, setting itself in the ceiling.

"Ruto?" I called through. "Are you alright up there?"

There was no response. Either she couldn't hear me, or there was something distracting her. Then after a few moments I heard faintly through there, "What is this? A giant Octopus? No, get away from me!" followed by a scream.

The single door of the room below suddenly became covered with webbing, locking me in. While it was futile, I dropped down to try and pull it off anyway. I needed to find another way to reach Ruto to save her. Again.

That got solved for me as the platform came back down.

"Princess! Are you... safe?" I slowed as it came back into view. Spikes shot out of the sides of the platform now, and on top of it was something that was most definitely not that Zora Princess. It looked like a giant Octorok with a similarly large seashell as a helmet.

It leapt off the platform, landing in the shallow water beside me so heavily that I got soaked with the splash. Wet again, despite my best efforts to avoid it. Then it charged for me.

I turned and ran until I managed to get myself under control enough to take a running leap into the air, managing to land on the platform. The giant Octorok didn't notice, continuing its circuit around the now spiked platform, revealing a glowing red gem in its back.

"Time for a game, Big Octo?" I said with a broad grin. First I took out my sword and had it pursue the monster, trying to strike the gem from afar, but it bounced off. Several ideas came to mind to combat this, but the one that appealed most was one given to me by King Dodongo.

A bomb was guided into its open mouth. It ignored this, until a muffled explosion caused it to sink down stunned, while the gem turned green. Now the sword could hurt it easily. After a few strikes it recovered, turned around and started again – swallowing my sword in the process!

"Hey!" I shouted. "That's mine! Give it back!"

Another bomb stunned it, but nothing else I had seemed to hurt it. I could have attacked with the Deku Sticks I had, but I only had two of those and didn't want to waste them. I did discover that the boomerang would keep it stunned for longer.

With that in mind I realised without a sword this was going to go on forever. I had to hope that the stupid thing hadn't swallowed the sword and that the bomb hadn't damaged it as I risked climbing into the mouth to feel around to try and find it, keeping hold on the boomerang outside to keep on stunning it.

It was too dark in there to see a thing, forcing me to feel around and try not to think about exactly what I might be feeling. I found the sword stuck in the back of its mouth, fortunately only just missing grabbing the blade instead of the handle as I yanked it free and quickly extricated myself. Rather than let it have the chance to swallow it again, this time I got around behind it and attacked it physically instead. I needn't have worried though, since the two bombs had taken its toll and like any other Octorok, it sank down and vanished, defeated.

I tried very hard not to think about anything I was covered in as I made myself float up to the room Ruto had been taken to, hoping if she was still there that she wouldn't object to it. I needed her, since I'd left the map with her. I could work without it, of course, but I'd rather know where I'm going if possible.

There was only one door up here, leading me to an area that had a short path around a pool of water. Sticking out of the water were two strange red things that started to thrash around when I got close. They seemed rooted to the spot though, and aside from blocking the route to the only other door I could see, they were safe to ignore.

Since the water here was relatively clean and I was already soaked anyway, I took the opportunity to at least wash off some of the remains of the giant Octorok. I might have to be wet, but I didn't have to be covered in bits of monster too.

"I've got an idea, Silver," Navi said while I cleaned up. "Can I borrow the boomerang?"

"You don't need to ask, Navi. Go ahead."

I watched as she worked with it with her own mind. She had a bit of trouble with it at first, by the unsteady wobbling it gave in the air I guess by the unusual shape, then she got the hang of it and flung it through the two still thrashing red things. They sank down turning blue to become safe platforms that would lead to the other door, while the boomerang came back and bounced off one wall with an accompanying low moan that suggested Jabu-Jabu had felt that.

"Never would have thought of that," I admitted. "Where did you get the idea?"

"That Octorok. I figured if the boomerang stunned it, maybe it would stun these too."

We watched the now blue things slowly fade back to red then start thrashing again.

"Well, it's not perfect," Navi said. "But it should let you get over there safely. If you're done cleaning up."

"Eh, I've got most of it. Lets stun these things again and move on."

The other side of the door turned out to be just above the same room I'd met the first Biri in, a ledge leading almost all the way around. When I stepped on the farthest part of it, it separated from the rest and dropped down, completing the ring on the lower floor so I could reach the switch that had been out of reach before.

Like some switches, it inconveniently decided not to be cooperative and refused to stay switched. I could have used the remaining box in the room to weigh it down, but the Cane of Somalia was closer at hand. The red block it created looked out of place inside Jabu-Jabu, but as long as it did the job...

Beyond were even more Biri flocking around a strangely darker, almost rock-like structure inside this room and even several Skulltulas on a web up above. Through gaps in the web I could see another dangling switch, but it looked difficult to trigger with the webbing in the way.

The Biri mostly ignored me now, but with the boomerang already to hand I didn't ignore them. I wasn't happy with the idea that one of them might find it funny to sneak up on me, so I didn't give them the chance. This was almost turning into another extermination mission, only this time I wasn't getting anything out of it.

The web left behind by the Skulltulas was too damp to ignite even with Din's Fire except for one small gap it made that was in such an inconvenient position that even if I floated up, there was no way I was going to be able to shoot at it.

Navi, this time without stopping to say anything to me, took my boomerang and sent it flying up, guiding it through the gap to trigger the switch and even tear through a few more bits of web as it returned back again.

"Aren't I meant to be the one thinking of these things?" I asked as the other door here lost its webbing, permitting me entry.

"It was quicker and easier to just do it for you than to explain it."

"Still seems kind of strange to me," I replied as I passed through the door. The cavern we emerged into seemed empty, but had a large... thing hanging from the top by three pulsing tentacles. They attached to a kind of body that had three thicker arms that ended in dishes, and below that was the body itself, looking like a collection of Bari that had latched on in two rows, all of them sparking slightly.

Tentatively I reached out toward the upper part of this strange creature, but pulled back again when one of the dish arms rose up to orient on me. It shot a beam of lightning at me, only narrowly missing where I was, then since it no longer had the sense of my mind it 'looked' around the area, then sank down again as if to rest.

As I circled the creature I realised what this was with a sigh.

"What?" Navi asked quietly.

"This is the dungeon boss, Navi," I replied. "Only one way in, now blocked off, no apparent way of unblocking it and a massive creature that looks like it's taking something from Jabu-Jabu's like some kind of parasite..."

"We've got to put a stop to that!"

"I plan to, I just don't exactly like it – not since it can feel my mind if it gets too close. Yours too, probably." I took out the boomerang, knowing I'd have to be very careful about guiding it this time, then said, "Alright, let's get this over with."

I threw it toward the first of the three tentacles holding it up, guiding it by quick and subtle nudges. The satellite-dish like appendages shot at me whenever the creature sensed my mind, but because I was working in short bursts and I kept moving around the cavern it only succeeded in hitting the walls.

I managed to sever the three tentacles in short order, causing it to crash down where it sent out the first of the two rows of Bari in a ring around it, each one connected to the main creature by another beam of lightning. Without detecting my mind, the dishes started firing randomly, apparently hoping to hit me by sheer chance alone.

There was no safe way for me to get in between the Bari to strike at the vulnerable looking area they'd latched on to, so once again I resorted to the boomerang, guiding its path in the same way. The dishes were quick to track where it thought I was once again, the same evasion tactics continuing to keep me from getting shocked again.

When the boomerang finally weaved through and caught the vulnerable body, the connection to the Bari was severed. The returning boomerang sliced through one of them on its way, so I quickly started guiding it around to take out more of them.

Not all of them were destroyed before the connection was re-established, forcing me to repeat twice more to eliminate all the Bari while still weaving and avoiding the beams, let alone it trying to collide with me. I had to take to the air once again to avoid several of the attempts it made to ram me.

Once the first ring of Bari had fallen the second band let go of the body to take their place, meaning I had to keep it up even more. This however left the body of the beast completely vulnerable, so while the boomerang sliced up the Bari, I dived in with the sword to slash away at it, never staying in one spot for long as the dishes still tried to shoot at me even this close.

As the last of the Bari finally fell I continued my assault, retrieving the boomerang and keeping my mind where it belonged so it couldn't track me by that. The creature dived into the floor, burying its vulnerable body leaving me to evade the dishes once again. I knew I didn't dare attack those with my sword, so just after evading another shot it took I pulled out one of the two Deku Sticks and gave one of them a good whack with it. The stick broke into two shorter pieces, both of which I turned on the stunned dish, severing it as the body rose up again.

With one of the three dishes down it had a blind spot. Despite its best efforts to stop me from hiding in that zone, I managed to stay there and continue my attacks, slashing away with the sword until at last it froze in place.

That left me cautious – it could have been a trick after all – so I backed away, ready to continue fighting if I had to. The creature however appeared to be dying. The surface of it started to break out in ugly green blotches, starting from the body and working its way up and along each of the appendages, even the severed ones.

Then it exploded into a mass of green stuff that, somehow, I managed to avoid getting on me. Getting covered in stuff from the big Octorok had been bad enough, thank you.

Among the ugly remains of the parasitic creature there appeared the typical blue ring that would convey me safely out of the dungeon. This time though, stood waiting for me within it with another irritated look was Princess Ruto.

"You're late!" she accused me. "Leaving me to fend for myself like that! What kind of man does that to his bride to be?"

"Now hold on just a moment," I started, ignoring the fact that the blue light was already taking us outside. "I never said I was going to marry you!"

"You said wanted the spiritual stone, didn't you? Well, you heard what I said – I can only give it to the man who will be my husband."

The light started to fade, showing Jabu-Jabu's lake around us. It had left us stood in mid air above it. Ruto dropped gracefully down into the water, I on the other hand floundered in the air, having to pull my way back up only to surface coughing and choking on the water.

"Now you listen here," I said weakly afterwards, still coughing slightly while I tried to stay afloat. "I was sent to pick up that Spiritual Stone by Princess Zelda so we could stop Ganondorf from getting the Triforce. I can't marry you. I'm not even a Zora!"

"But you are very brave," she told me, swimming uncomfortably close. "And you did help me. Why should we get all picky over the fact that you're a Hylian?"

She was still set on catching me! How was I going to get out of this? I was getting a bit desperate now.

"Princess, please keep this to yourself, but I'm not Hylian either – I just appear to be one. I'm really... well, a hedgehog."

"I've never heard of a creature like that before – or are you just trying to get out of marrying me?" she went on with a sly look.

"It's the truth, princess!" I protested. "The Great Deku Tree over in Kokiri Forest made me look like this so people wouldn't think I was a monster! I don't know how he did it, so I can't turn it off, but really I am a hedgehog underneath this!"

"But you can't prove it, can you?" Ruto persisted.

"Well no, this Hylian image you see only gets cancelled out when I go to see Zelda and-" I broke off with wide eyes. "And when I use magic to get around! I think I can prove it now," I told her, taking out Farore's Wind. "I'm not sure how this will work exactly. I've never used it before."

"What is it?"

"It's a magic spell that lets me teleport around. I'll try to aim over there where that cavern is," I told her, pointing toward the entrance to the Great Fairy's fountain, forgetting I was using my arms to stay afloat. A handy nearby log allowed me to stand on solid ground while I focused my mind into Farore's Wind, forming the image in my mind of where I wanted to be.

With a rush of wind and a flash of light, the lake around me vanished momentarily, then returned from, yes, the bit of land just outside the cavern. I could see Ruto over by the log looking amazed.

"Silver, look at you!" Navi said, sounding alarmed. I looked down, then realised my mistake – the image wasn't just flickering or failing, it had gone entirely leaving my true form still dripping wet for all Hyrule to see.

Ruto was already swimming over when I looked back up again, trying to hide my concern at this.

"So that's what a hedgehog looks like is it?" she asked seeming oddly calm to me given what had just happened.

"Yeah. This is the true me. This is why I can't marry you, Princess."

"Oh, bother that," she insisted. "It doesn't change anything. We'll just have to keep it a secret from my father."

"Oh, god," I breathed.

"What now?"

"What am I going to tell him? Or anyone else for that matter? Only a few people know this is what I really look like, and no one is going to believe the truth."

"Just tell them you got cursed by Ganondorf," Ruto suggested. "Sure, you might meet a few people who'll think you're a monster, but they'll understand if you take the time to explain." Ruto got out of the water standing nearby to take one of my hands. "Now take this... and don't tell my father we're engaged," she said, then with a sly wink dived back into the water and swam off to see her father.

In my hand she'd left me the last Spiritual Stone. I may have lost the Hylian image, but at least I'd done what Princess Zelda and I had set out to do. Now I just had to hope I could get to the Temple of Time without anyone treating me like a monster so she and I could stop Ganondorf.


	20. Enter Ganondorf

"Do you mind?" Silver asked acidly while he waited for Tails to recover from his uncontrollable laughter.

"Sorry," Tails managed eventually. "Silver the hedgehog, engaged to a Zora. Who could have come up with a stranger pairing than that!" and he burst into laughter again.

Silver stalked off, muttering to himself. Tails would get over it eventually – or at least he would if he wanted to hear the rest of his tale.

* * *

With the third Spiritual Stone finally in hand I left Jabu-Jabu's lake and headed back out into Zora's Domain. I could have used Farore's Wind again, but I wasn't entirely certain how far it could reach, or that it wouldn't cause me any more problems. Magical transportation had it's own share of issues.

Ruto appeared to have already informed the Zora King and his attendant of the 'curse' that had been laid upon me, not being surprised to see me in the slightest. The attendant pointed me toward the dais, indicated the King wanted to speak to me again, this time with Princess Ruto at his side bearing a mischievous smile.

"We find ourselves in your debt, noble Silver," the King announced. "Though you have suffered greatly because of your actions, you have prevailed nevertheless and for that we offer our heartfelt gratitude. Rest assured that you will always be remembered by the Zora people, and that as we are in some measure responsible for your current form we will diligently find a way to undo what Ganondorf's evil magic has done."

"With respect your Majesty, you don't need to do that," I replied. "If Ganondorf should find out you're trying to do something about this before Princess Zelda and I reach the Temple of Time, he could still act against you. Much as I like Zora's Domain," I went on, lying through my teeth, "I'd rather not have to run all the way back up here to put a stop to his actions yet again."

"It may be as you say," King Zora conceded. "Should there be anything we can do for you in future, do not hesitate to ask us. You are a true friend of the Zora people."

"My King," the attendant murmured.

"Ah, of course. We have kept you too long. You must journey at once to Hyrule Castle to meet Princess Zelda. We wish you all the best, Silver!"

Their concern was touching, at least. Maybe there was something to what Navi had said – both the Gorons and the Zoras were willing to help out if I needed it, though I couldn't see when exactly I might need that help.

Since I was already wet as it was I decided to give up on staying dry and to speed my return back to Hyrule Castle by swimming down Zora's River, swimming with the current to pick up speed. Not that I can actually swim all that well, but it did help.

It had been late afternoon when I'd ventured into Jabu-Jabu's belly and by the time I reached Hyrule Field it was nearly sunset. I was weary and would ordinarily have found a nearby tree to rest in for the night, but with all three Spiritual Stones and Princess Zelda awaiting my return I decided that sleep could wait, saving Hyrule came first.

When I picked myself out of the water at the bridge leading to Kakariko Village and shook the worst of the water out of my fur, I had a nagging feeling I knew what was about to happen and paused to look ahead.

There was a storm brewing, the first drops of a downpour already coming down. The drawbridge to Hyrule Castle Town was raised, though this was not entirely remarkable as it was late enough for it. I no longer appeared to be Hylian-

"My dream," I breathed, realising. "It's about to happen. We're about to meet Ganondorf. Navi, I want you to stay out of sight – I'm going to try to convince him of something, and if he sees you he might catch on to the trick."

"That's dangerous, Silver!" Navi warned.

"I know, but I don't want him to find out – ah, no time for this! Just trust me Navi," I told her insistently. She once again took cover in the convenient cap, neatly held onto my head by covering all my quills. I imagine I looked fairly strange like that, but I wasn't really thinking about it at the time.

As I approached the closed drawbridge my mind was working overtime, trying to prepare my spur of the moment deception for any eventuality while also scanning inside the Castle Town rapidly, trying to find Princess Zelda.

I didn't find her, but I did find the sense of an overpowering presence that I strongly suspected was Ganondorf, so quickly brought my mind back and hoped he hadn't noticed me, and even if he had, that he wouldn't make the connection between that mind and the silver hedgehog he was about to meet.

Then it happened, thunder rolled and lightning struck as I stood right before the drawbridge. A metallic clang sounded from inside, then the drawbridge shot down, the windlasses inside that were normally turned by hand allowed to run free with gravity doing the work. It crashed down, almost before it was down a white horse with two riders galloping out.

I recognised them both – Zelda and Impa. As I quickly got out of their path I saw recognition dawn in Zelda's face and she threw something blue at me which bounced and landed in the moat. I didn't remember that happening in the dream, but whatever it was I could retrieve it later. Ganondorf was about to show up any moment now.

While I turned to watch them run into the dark storm over Hyrule Field, heavy hoofbeats echoed in staccato on the drawbridge, and the overpowering presence came closer. I feigned obliviousness to this.

"Argh! Lost her!" a deep, harsh voice exclaimed. Almost hesitantly I turned and looked the desert man in black armour full in the face for the first time. I may have seen him in my dreams or through the window into the audience chamber at the castle, but this was the first meeting in person. Ganondorf noticed this.

"Hm? Just what are you meant to be?"

"Ungh?" I responded, trying to sound as incoherent and dense as I could manage.

"Bah, just some dumb creature," he dismissed me, nudging his horse forward again. He stopped, however. "Wait a moment..." he murmured, looking back to me. The sense of his presence grew stronger again. "So it was you I felt just now!"

"That's right," I replied in low tone, my deception no longer needed.

"I thought so! Tell me, creature! Tell me where that white horse went!"

"Never," I told him, drawing my sword. I would have taken out the shield too, but the Hylian shield was too big to handle still, and I wasn't going to let on just what I was capable of any more than I had to.

To my surprise, Ganondorf laughed. "You think you can protect them from me, do you? You're crazy, but you've got guts! Don't you know who I am?"

"Naturally. That's why I won't help you."

"Oh, I think you will... whether you want to or not!"

Ganondorf held out one hand toward me gathering a ball of yellow light there. I brought my erratic, nervous mind into focus as much as I could manage, preparing myself for this, then as he let it loose at me I made a mental swipe in the air in front of me, probably broader and stronger than it needed to be, but I _was_ running on nerves, after all. The yellow ball of light changed course abruptly, flung off into the air just missing Lon Lon Ranch.

"Try again, Ganondorf," I said with a courage I really didn't feel. "Maybe this time you'll get it right!"

Again he just laughed. "I like that attitude. I'd stay to teach you your place, but you're merely a-" he stopped, looking chagrined. "A diversion! You'll pay for this when I find the Princess!" he raged, spurring his horse into a thundering gallop.

"I think I've paid enough by annoying you," I muttered, sinking down in relief. I'd faced Ganondorf and lived to tell, only because he thought I was a diversion!

Navi meanwhile emerged from her concealment and flew over to the moat.

"Silver," she called. "There's something here. I can't make it out properly."

"That must be what Zelda tried to throw at me. I hope she wasn't trying to hit me with it." I joined her at the moat. Sure enough something glinted in the light of each strike of lightning, though they were fading now. It appeared to be lodged between two rocks, and looked almost like an ocarina.

I guessed Navi might have tried but felt she wasn't up to removing it from the fast flowing current, so I reached out and brought it up to us. It was a very well made blue ocarina with several holes my one didn't have.

"Could that be...?" Navi trailed off.

"The Ocarina of Time," I finished, shaking out the water before I took it in my hands. As I did so my vision turned white and I saw a large white room with Princess Zelda stood before an altar that had three indentations on it and an inscription I couldn't make out in this misty vision. In her hands she held the Ocarina of Time.

"Silver, when you see this I won't be around any more," she spoke. "I tried to wait for you as long as I could, but Ganondorf attacked Hyrule Castle. Impa managed to get me out with just enough time to leave this for you, but I fear he will find I am not at the castle and pursue us as soon as we leave. Now I have to leave the task of opening the Door of Time in your hands, Silver. Go to the Temple of Time and place the Spiritual Stones on the altar, then play the Song of Time only on the Ocarina of Time. Good luck Silver – now here is the song."

And suddenly, I knew. There was no need to hear her play it, just as she had somehow conveyed all this to me in a vision, she had given me the knowledge to play the Song of Time.

My vision cleared then, returning to the thunderstorm over Hyrule Field with Navi flying at my face.

"Hey! This is no time for daydreaming!" she told me.

"I wasn't daydreaming. Zelda left a message for me in the ocarina. We've got to go the Temple of Time while Ganondorf is still out of town."

"But the princess-"

"Told me what I needed to know," I said, already heading into town over the drawbridge. I hoped the townsfolk would be alright, or at least the guards would be able to hold off any Stalchildren that wandered in overnight. Thanks to the storm everyone had taken shelter and only a pack of dogs roamed the market, completely unconcerned with the downpour.

I made my way through to the Temple of Time, this time actually entering the temple rather than standing by the four Gossip Stones as I had when Impa showed me here. The Temple of Time appeared to have some magic of its own to it, as when I stepped in I was dried off completely and furthermore the Hylian image was even restored to me.

Despite the storm outside, bright sunlight streamed through the high windows into this marble white room, now revealed in all its bright splendour without the misty vision as the place Zelda had left the message for me. A red carpet ran from a raised design in the floor that seemed almost like a stylised version of the Zora seal, right the way up to the altar. Beyond that was a massive stone slab that looked like a radiant sun, and above that was an engraved grey Triforce.

The Hylian pictograms on the altar were more ornate than any I'd seen before, and much harder to interpret. I figured I didn't have to know what they said to be able to carry out Zelda's wishes.

I took out the three Spiritual Stones, placing them in the indentations in the same order I'd obtained them, then took out the Ocarina of Time and played the song Zelda had taught me.

The grey Triforce lit up to a bright gold that made the entire temple glow brighter, then the stone slab split in two, each one retracting into the walls on either side. Beyond was another chamber that also had sunlight beaming down through high windows, though these ones were not plain, all depicting some ancient legend in stained glass.

In the exact center of that room lay a stone pedestal, in the inverted triangle that was the center of the Triforce. Around it were six engraved circles, each with a different design on, though the only one I recognised was the same one I'd seen at the entrance of the temple.

"That can't be..." Navi whispered, seeing the sword set in the pedestal – a sword even longer than my arm, brightly burnished to a mirror finish with an ornate indigo handle, a single golden triangle set in either side of the guard.

"Can't be what?"

"The legendary sword – the Master Sword!"

"The Sword of Evil's Bane. The one the Great Fairy on Death Mountain told me about. This must be the final key."

I had no idea what to expect after I unlocked this route to the Sacred Realm by taking the Master Sword, but I was unprepared for what actually happened. I took hold of the sword in both hands, since it was nearly as tall as I was, took a firm grip and pulled it out.

The Triforce around me glowed golden, a shimmering blue barrier rising up around me. The two golden triangles on the sword both emerged, while at the same time remaining on the sword, and embedded themselves in my right hand, creating a glowing symbol of the Triforce on my own hand, though only one of them glowed brightly.

Then I lost all sight and sound to the blue light, fading to white.


	21. Hero's Awakening

I came to feeling at least well-rested, if somewhat lethargic, as if I'd gone to sleep when I'd drawn out the Master Sword, and stayed that way for a long time. As I came to my senses started to come back to me. I felt different somehow, but not in any perceptible way. Someone had added something long and mostly flat between my shield and back, like a scabbard for my sword, but too long for the one I had – unless it had been meant for the Master Sword?

When I opened my eyes and looked around I saw somewhere familiar, yet at the same time not so.

Around me lay the engraved designs that had surrounded the pedestal and carved Triforce, but unlike what I'd seen in the Temple of Time, these were all lit up. The grey stone was now blue, looking like the water's surface but solid. I stood where the pedestal should have been, in the center of the glowing Triforce, each of the six carvings now in a different colour around me – green, red, blue, orange, purple and finally yellow.

Around this there was no Temple of Time, nothing but an expanse that held only a few similarly water-like platforms, a faint shifting blue in the background providing only the slightest hint of a wall.

As my mind caught up with the rest of me I turned to the figure that had been patiently waiting on the yellow carving, a portly man in a long robe that matched with decorated red sashes over it, meeting at his waist with a symbol of the Triforce. He was almost completely bald, but with his grey moustache and similar eyebrows, he reminded me of the owl.

"Who-" I started, then lifted a hand to my throat – I didn't sound like that! "My voice-"

"Look to yourself, Silver," the old man told me in a voice that reminded me even more of the owl. "Look, and do not be afraid of what you see."

I wish people wouldn't say that to me. I always get a faint fear from it.

When I looked down at myself though I started to understand. I still bore the green tunic and boots, but they couldn't be the same. I looked like myself, but it was clear I had grown. Someone must have replaced them – or perhaps my tunic really was magic.

Over my usual gloves were gauntlets made from the same sturdy leather as the boots, and I now had a white under-tunic and leggings to go with them. I guess being older meant I wasn't allowed to show off my legs in Hyrule.

"W-what happened to me?" I asked, trying not to sound afraid.

"Merely the normal passage of time," the old man replied. "Allow me to explain."

"But who are you?"

"I am Rauru, one of the ancient sages of Hyrule that in ages past constructed the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm. This is the Chamber of Sages, a hidden room within the Temple of Light that is at the center of the Sacred Realm, the last stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces. The Master Sword that you pulled out of the Pedestal of Time was the final key to the Sacred Realm, as you suspected. An evil-banishing blade that can never be touched by evil ones."

"No!" I gasped. "You mean I – I did what Ganondorf wanted for him?"

"Regrettably so," Rauru agreed. "But all is not lost. Not only can it only be touched by the hand of good, but it may only be drawn out of the Pedestal of Time by one worthy of the the title Hero of Time. Look to your hand Silver, and see the proof of your worthiness."

I recalled what had happened as the blue light had enveloped me, holding up my gauntleted right hand. At first there was nothing, but then even through the gauntlet the Triforce shone through, one of the three triangles glowing brighter than the other two.

"I have a piece of the Triforce?"

"The Triforce of Courage, specifically. Ganondorf plundered the Triforce of Power from the Sacred Realm when you opened the way. The final piece – the Triforce of Wisdom – is protected in good hands."

"Princess Zelda?"

"You will know who bears it when the time is right. Now, to continue... you drew the Master Sword out of the Pedestal of Time, but even with your mental capabilities you were not ready to be the Hero of Time. Your spirit was sealed in the Sacred Realm for seven long years, and now your mind and body are both ready, it is time for you to awaken as the rightful Hero of Time."

"Seven... years?" Even as I said it I tentatively felt around the edges of what I could do, finding that like my body, my own powers had also matured with them. I couldn't tell the limits exactly without testing them, but I knew I was more powerful than I had been. "But that means Ganondorf..."

"Yes. With the power of the Triforce he became the King of Evil, his dark powers radiating from the sacred temples of Hyrule and in seven years he conquered the land, turning it into a land of monsters. Even in this Sacred Realm, my powers have little influence against him – namely to preserve the Temple of Light and this most important chamber, the Chamber of Sages."

"Wait – lemme guess. I'm getting an idea here. You need me to go forth and find the other five Sages – the ones represented by these other symbols around me, right?"

"You as sharp of mind as I thought when I first saw you, Silver," Rauru laughed. I was certain now, this was the owl. "Yes, the sages power still remains, and you must seek them out at the five temples of Hyrule. Now take this Silver, keep my power with you and awaken as the Hero of Time!"

Rauru, like Darunia and Ruto, held his hands skyward. Were there more than three Spiritual Stones? As a bright flash of yellow light appeared above me though I saw that it was not a Spiritual Stone but a medallion bearing the same design as the one Rauru stood on.

As my view started to fade again, I heard Rauru leave one last encouragement. "With the Triforce of Courage and the Medallion of Light in your hands, may the Goddesses bear you safely on your way, Silver."

* * *

I awakened again, this time much quicker. My mind had remained fully conscious from the Temple of Light, it was only my body that needed to catch up this time. Around me was the Temple of Time, exactly as I had left it but with two differences. No longer did bright sunlight flood this room from all windows, only coming from one of the stained glass windows that Tails will recognise as the entrance to the real Temple of Time that he used, but I could never touch. It wasn't meant for me.

The other difference was the Master Sword, still in my hands. I had grown to the point where I could wield it one-handed, and even use the Hylian shield the same way I'd previously used the Deku shield. I glanced over my shoulder and saw, yes, someone had added an ornate blue scabbard with golden designs inlaid over it, strapped to my back along with the shield.

Curiously, almost distractedly, I noticed that just like in the Temple of Light, the image had not been present – yet it had been in the Temple of Time before I'd come here. Maybe the image couldn't come with me, being a set image of a child Hylian, and seven years later it would be an adult by now. Until I learned how to create an image of my own, I wasn't going to be able to do anything about that.

Why then had I appeared to be a child not so long – no, seven years ago! Was the Temple of Time somehow capable of restoring the Great Deku Tree's image?

I couldn't worry about that now. This was seven years later, Ganondorf's evil-filled Hyrule that was apparently in dire need of the Hero of Time – me.

"Navi?" I whispered, then louder, "Navi!"

"I'm here Silver, you don't have to shout," she answered, flitting into view in front of me.

"Sorry. I guess I was worried you hadn't come along too. Were you in the Temple of Light just now too?"

"Yeah. I heard everything. But... has it really been seven years? Maybe we should look around and see how different everything is?"

"Sounds like a good plan. We'll have to search for the temples anyway."

I sheathed the Master Sword in the scabbard, awkwardly as I wasn't used to this. It took me a few attempts to get it right without trying to inadvertantly stab myself in the back, but I got the hang of it eventually, then started to head back out into the main Temple of Time, where I could see the three Spiritual Stones still lay and somehow, the windows still streamed bright sunlight.

I paused before passing where the Door of Time had been though, becoming aware of a presence behind me. My power was stronger alright! I hadn't even been consciously thinking about it! The presence was familiar, one I'd felt before. It wasn't hostile, but it was waiting for something.

When I turned to look however, there was someone I didn't recognise stood there, looking very similar to Impa, but I knew it was not her. She had golden hair hidden mostly behind a cloth that wrapped around her head, another concealing much of the rest of her face, leaving only the mystery red eyes looking back at me.

"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time," she said in a voice that sounded more masculine than her mind felt. I knew I'd felt the mind somewhere before. Why was it so familiar?

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah," she answered. "It is said that when evil rules all, a voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be sages to the five temples... one in a forest, one on a high mountain. Another under a vast lake, one within the House of the Dead and the last inside a goddess of the sand. Together with the Hero of Time the awakened ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world."

"So now I know where I have to go. Thanks for filling me in Sheik... if that's what you want to call yourself."

Shock briefly flicked over her features and for a moment the red eyes softened into a familiar blue – I knew who this was now! Princess Zelda, in hiding from Ganondorf!

"Don't tell anyone," she told me, not changing her voice in the slightest. "You must embark on your journey, Silver. The first sage awaits you in the Forest Temple, a girl you are familiar with. The evil power in the temple prevents her from hearing the Sacred Realm's call however. Go forth and cleanse the Temple. We will meet again," she added, then threw a Deku Nut to the ground, the bright flash blinding me.

She'd vanished, the sense of her presence no longer felt by my mind, not even if I concentrated and focused to try to find her. She'd gone. Of course, with Ganondorf in power she couldn't afford to stay in one place for too long. I hated to think just what she'd had to go through these past seven years.

With her words and those of Rauru in mind however, I knew what I had to do. Another quest beckoned to me, and once again only I could follow it, so I set myself ready to face Hyrule as it stood now and left the Temple of Time.


	22. Ranch Running

Hyrule Castle Town lay in ruins. Destroyed wrecks, burnt shells and the clear signs of neglect were all around. The four Gossip Stones just outside the Temple of Time were still present, though mossed over, but the gardens around it had been destroyed.

Up behind it the perpetual ring of cloud above Death Mountain had become a flared circle of orange, no doubt a sign of Ganondorf's evil magic. To the west of that should have been the top of Hyrule Castle, just peeking over the skyline from its valley, but the castle I saw was dark and brooding, clawing at a dark sky. The sun shone, but its light was pale and wan here in the darkened reaches of Hyrule Castle.

It was unsettling, remembering the Castle Town of seven years past as clear as if it had been yesterday – which to me it was – and seeing this having taken its place. More to keep myself calm than out of any perceived threat, I drew out the Master Sword from its sheath and kept it comfortingly held in one hand. It had a different weight to it, being longer than my old sword, but its weight was comforting all the same.

When I started down the shallow steps toward the market itself I saw that things were even worse than they'd appeared from the Temple of Time. Market stalls lay broken, their cloth covers mere tatters hanging dejected from the remains. The fountain in the center still worked, but the water it put out was a sickly green.

And all around the marketplace there were Redeads, some crouched, holding their knees like the first one I'd seen, others stood, but none fortunately coming for me. I hadn't noticed their moans because the wind in the ruins had been making similar sounds.

There was no way I was heading to Hyrule Castle – or what passed for it now. No doubt that was where Ganondorf had set up shop, and without the aid of the six sages I strongly suspected I was still only a minor inconvenience to him. I may have been able to deflect his original magic attack on me, but that had been done mostly out of fear of what it could have done to me. Actually fighting him as I was now, even with the Master Sword in hand... was not something I felt up for.

That meant weaving through the Redeads for Hyrule Field. Mostly I ignored them until one of them gave a piercing, chilling shriek near the exit of the marketplace, freezing me in place. My body just refused to act, but my mind was still active. I managed to hold off the Redead by projecting a kind of barrier of pure will in its path, and being dead it didn't have the intelligence to notice what was stopping it – or that anything was stopping it.

When I could finally act again I waved one hand at it and, rather half-heartedly, told it, "Go chew on someone else." The wave had been emphasised with a slight blast from my mind to persuade it to leave, but I'd overlooked that my power had grown and matured over the seven years as well.

I'd intended for the Redead to be just shoved away, but what actually happened was the force of my blow caused the Redead to explode into a shower of body parts that rained down over the other side of the marketplace. The head landed in the fountain, bobbing around in the slight current to look almost as if something was trying to pull it down. One leg hung on the remains of a stall, while an arm had landed on another Redead, which ignored it entirely. I don't recall seeing where the other parts landed.

I stared at the results of this for a few moments, shocked at just how much I could do with what I'd thought was a simple push. I'd have to be very careful how I used this when other people were concerned.

Then just because I found it amusing, I went around and did the same to all the other Redeads as well. It got me a bit of practise with my new power, and I'm fairly sure I sent the head of one of them flying up to Ganondorf's Castle. I had this mental image of him sitting down to eat, only to have the head smash a window and land in his meal. I don't know where I got that idea from, but damned if it wasn't funny.

Once I got out of the castle town, past the battered walls and the broken drawbridge, the sun seemed to overcome the darkness inside, brightening Hyrule Field to its normal daytime appearance. Judging by its position in the sky I guessed it was somewhere in the middle of the morning. Since the town was effectively gone, I needed to find somewhere else to get something to eat. The nearest place as Kakariko, but I chose to head instead to Lon Lon Ranch, recalling what Malon had said: "When you grow up, I'm sure she'll help you get around quicker."

Alright, yes, I suppose since I didn't appear Hylian any more and I had a good reason I could have taken to flying around, but I'd gotten into the habit of travelling by conventional means while in Hyrule. Besides, even though there still appeared to be no one around on Hyrule Field, I was still set on keeping as much of my abilities hidden from Ganondorf as I could. If he didn't know I could fly, I could surprise him with it.

As I approached the ranch, I noticed the sign outside had been cut down and a new one planted in the ground nearby that read 'Ingo Ranch'. I knew Ingo to be the complaining ranch hand in the past. What then had happened to Talon?

A brief mental search of the ranch revealed only two Hylians there, and though I didn't recognise either of them I was fairly sure neither of them were Talon. One of the two was distinctly feminine, suggesting Malon was still here at the ranch, but the sign suggested that the other mind belonged to Ingo. Just what had happened here in seven years?

I found Malon taking care of the cows in the same stable I had first met Ingo in. She'd grown up to be a fine young woman, but there was a distinct hint of fear about her. If Ingo had been mistreating her...

"Malon?" I asked stepping into view.

"Who's there?" she asked, seizing a broom and brandishing it.

"Hey, relax, it's just me," I said quickly. "You know, Silver?" Her harsh expression didn't change. "You know, seven years ago, the one who woke up your father while he was sleeping at the castle? I gave the gate guards that rock as a distraction."

Recognition dawned – partly. "Silver? But... you don't look anything like him."

"I got cursed by Ganondorf," I lied. Why not, it had worked once before. "Now I'm stuck like this and can't get back until someone defeats him."

"You're really Silver?"

"I'm really me," I agreed. "At least, I was last time I checked. Pretty sure I haven't changed into someone else since then."

Malon laughed at that, but still didn't remain entirely convinced. "If you're really him... do something that only he'd know. Something that would prove yourself."

I could see I was going to have to do this a lot. I took out my ocarina, choosing Saria's one over the Ocarina of Time so she'd recognise it, and played the song she'd taught me, the song that had made Epona a friend. Her eyes widened as she finally gave in and knew I was who I said I was.

"I knew that'd work," I said afterwards. "What happened here?"

"Ingo ran to Ganondorf after he came to power," Malon answered. "I don't know what he said, but Ganondorf came down here, threw my father out and gave the ranch to Ingo. For all I know he's somewhere in Kakariko, but I don't know. I have to stay here because if I don't, Ingo will treat the horses badly. Why didn't you do something Silver? You could have done something to stop him, couldn't you?"

I thought quickly. I couldn't tell her the truth, but I did have the convenient lie of the 'curse' I could expand on, so I told her, "I'd been cursed, remember? Every time I tried to go somewhere, people thought I was a monster and ran me out. I don't like getting chased out of town with rocks and sticks, so I hid instead. I didn't know anything about what was going on until recently."

"Why come back now?"

"Someone found me and told me there was something I could do to help Hyrule. But before I do... I think I'll see what I can do about the ranch. I'm sure I can persuade him he doesn't really want the ranch." I paused, then added, "And some breakfast, I think. I'll pay for it-"

"Oh, nonsense," she dismissed the offer. "Anything to annoy Ingo. Besides, if you're chucking him out it won't matter anyway."

I gave her a hand finishing her work with the cows for her, mucking them out, feeding them, that sort of thing. She went off to fix something up for me, and I kept a close watch on Ingo. He didn't move about very much, but occasionally he'd suddenly pick up speed, going around in a wide circle. Given that he was up by the horse corral, I guessed he was taking them out for a ride around the outside of the corral itself.

After Malon returned to find her work had mysteriously all been done quicker than should have been possible and I'd had something to eat, I wandered to the corral to find Ingo stood outside the gates of it, muttering to himself. I could see the horses inside, and I was fairly sure among them I spotted Epona, older and grown up, but as she had a darker coat than the others I was certain it was her.

"What is wrong with that horse?" Ingo was complaining. I followed his gaze and saw he was also looking at Epona. "Doesn't do a thing she's told."

"Maybe it's because she doesn't like you," I suggested, startling him.

"What do you know, monster?" he snapped at me.

"I'm no monster. I've just been cursed to look like one." That was becoming a very convenient excuse. I just hoped no one tried to 'cure' me of it. "I could take the horse off your hands. Save you having to deal with it."

"Oh, no you don't! That horse is going to be a gift to the great Ganondorf! Just as soon as I can tame her..."

"I'll make you a deal. If I can tame her, you'll let me keep her. If I can't, you can keep trying and maybe someday you'll manage it."

"Not so fast. Taming her is only half the deal _I'll_ offer you. Tame her _and_ win a race against me with her. If you can't do both, then she stays right here."

Oops. I'd never done any horseback riding before. Ingo had backed me into a deal I wasn't certain I could win. I wasn't going to back down now though – I had an idea forming.

"You're on," I told him. "Just give me a few minutes with her inside the corral to tame her."

"As long as you need," Ingo chortled. "For an untamable horse. You'll be there forever."

"That's what you think," I murmured with a grin as he let me through the gates.

Just as she had seven years before, Epona ran before I could get near to her. I knew how to handle this though, playing the same song I had for Malon, who I noticed was cautiously watching from the corner of the stables.

Epona recognised the song of course, digging her hooves into the ground to come to a stop, turning and then galloping back to me. She was still wary, since this time she saw me the way I really am, but a calming hand settled her.

I had to use a nearby fence, normally meant for horse jumping, to mount up on the saddle that was already in place. Epona glanced back to me curiously.

"Well I'll be damned," I heard Ingo said in amazement.

"You will be by the time I'm done," I muttered. Epona flicked an ear toward me. "Not you, of course. Trust me and we'll be fine."

Tentatively I reached out to her mind, touching very carefully on it. She noticed this, rearing back in fright at first until I reassured her with a few words. She may not have understood my words, but she did interpret the tone behind them.

Then I started to guide her, at first with my feet and the reins as you're meant to. I may not have had any experience, but it isn't that hard to pick up the general idea of it. Once she understood my meanings with each of them, I started gently nudging her mind in a similar way, until I was able to ride her around without needing any physical guidance at all. Ingo and Malon both looked on in astonishment.

"Alright, I think we're just about ready," I called to Ingo, riding over to the gate. "Still want to race, or did you want to give in gracefully?"

"Don't think you've beaten me that easily... whatever you are," Ingo said sourly. He opened the corral gate, scratching a line in the dirt track around the edge then pointing me to wait behind it. While I waited he headed into the corral and with a whistle summoned what I guessed was his favourite horse to race against me with.

Epona pawed impatiently with one forehoof while we waited there for him to line up beside us.

"In a moment," I told her. "Then we'll beat the pants off him."

She nickered enthusiastically at that suggestion. I wondered just how much she actually understood.

Ingo finally got his horse in beside us, then gave us a countdown and a starting signal.

I noticed immediately that he cheated, starting early. Epona snorted at this dishonesty.

"I feel the same way. Leave it to me; I know just what to do about this."

I reached out to Ingo's horse and surreptitiously caused it to rise up, not in any perceptible amount but enough that his horse very suddenly lost traction long enough for us to catch up and overtake him. I set his horse back down again afterwards, though every time he got close to catching up I caused it to happen again for a brief moment, easily crossing the line first.

Ingo gave a howl of frustration.

"What have you done to that horse?" he yelled. "I spend years trying to tame her, but you come along and do it in moments!"

"You just have to know how to make friends with your steed," I answered pleasantly. "Now then, I believe we had a deal?"

Ingo rode quickly to the gate, not of the corral but to the larger surrounding area that separated it from the ranch buildings. He dismounted, ran through them and closed them.

"You may have won that horse," he called with a sly look. "But you'll _never_ leave the ranch!"

"Want to teach him how wrong he is?" I murmured to Epona, who nickered again. We lined up to face Ingo and the gate. It was tall, but I was fairly sure if we got up the same kind of speed we had in the race, we could jump it easily. Besides, I could lend her a hand of we needed.

Epona started running for it without needing any prompting from me. Ingo quite suddenly realised we were bearing down on him, forgetting the gate was supposedly in our way.

"What? What are you doing? You can't do this to me?" he screamed in terror, backing away from the gate.

Epona leapt up, easily clearing it without any assistance from me, then purposefully bore down on Ingo without letting up at all. The terrified little man bolted out of the ranch with a last cry of, "You'll pay for this!"

We stopped at the exit to the ranch, watching him flee toward Kakariko Village, then turned back into the ranch to see Malon.

"Looks like the ranch is yours again," I told her. "I'm afraid I seem to have run off your help though."

"That's alright, grasshopper," she told me, using her old nickname for me. "I'll be able to manage for now, but you should go and find my father. I'm sure he'll be happy to help me out since it's my ranch now."

"I'll get right on it. You don't mind if I take Epona, do you?"

"As long as she doesn't mind going with you. But do bring her to visit from time to time, won't you?"

"Of course, Malon," I promised.


	23. Homecoming

I had planned to head straight back to Kokiri Forest in search of the Forest Temple, but I didn't really want to leave Malon on her own for too long either, and she had asked me to find her father. That made the next stop on my journey Kakariko... Town?

The sign at the foot of the valley leading up to it had 'Village' scratched out and 'Town' carved underneath. There had been several buildings under construction in the haphazardly laid out village before, but as I entered I saw they'd been completed. It was bustling with activity now, looking almost as busy as Hyrule Castle Town had been. The locals must have fled here when Ganondorf attacked.

A new stable had been constructed near the town entrance, where I paid someone to take care of Epona for me while I was in town, reassuring her that I really would come back. I could hardly leave her behind. The stable hand looked at me suspiciously, but made no comment.

It appeared that the outdoor market that had once been the marketplace was now arranged around the tree not far from the entrance, just as I remembered it with people bustling and jostling each other as they went from stall to stall. I feigned interest, glancing over each stall while my mind busily searched the village for any familiar minds.

The townsfolk, like the stable hand gave me wary looks, most of which I ignored. There were a few unkind remarks I won't repeat here, and more than once Navi had to step in to persuade me not to act on something said about me.

On the other hand, besides those occasional remarks about me they remained civil at least and didn't live up to the story I'd been spinning about being run out of town, which I appreciated. It would have made things much harder for me otherwise.

While I'd never actually touched on Talon's mind, I reasoned that it should be similar in some part to Malon's making it slightly easier to identify. I found a possible match just outside the windmill at the top of town – though anything up there was difficult to make out. There was a strong presence I discovered further down beneath the town itself that radiated out, distorting my mental perceptions in the area. I couldn't tell what it was, but it was ancient and distinctly malicious.

On the way to find Talon I also found Scourge was in town, not by the sense of his presence but because I saw him. Unlike me, his Hylian image was still with him – but it had not aged with the passage of time. I took care not to let him see me, watching him surreptitiously as he showed he was as bad as he had been seven years before, still stealing whatever he wanted. With more people in town he seemed to find it easier to get away with picking pockets. You'd have thought he'd changed a little in seven years, but apparently not.

I left Scourge to his thievery and headed up to the windmill, finding that Talon had, once again, gone to sleep. I noted in passing that the well was oddly dry, so I wouldn't be able to repeat my last encounter with him. He looked distinctly worse for wear, suggesting he hadn't exactly been living well.

He didn't sleep as soundly though. Shaking him awake was all it took.

"What in tarnation?" he exclaimed once again. "Can't a guy get any shut eye around here?"

"Sleeping again, Talon?" I asked, forgetting he wouldn't recognise me. "First at the Castle and now here? Malon's waiting for you, you know."

"Oh, sure," he replied dejectedly. "Her and Ingo."

"Not any more. I ran Ingo off. The ranch belongs to Malon now, and I hear she's looking for some hard-working farm hands. Maybe you should... have a look?"

"I couldn't face her like this. Look at me – I'm a mess!"

I reached into the pouch and took out a handful of rupees for him.

"Get yourself cleaned up, and go and see your daughter, Talon," I told him. "And when you get there... tell her Silver sent you."

"Silver? But wasn't he..."

"Yeah, a lot happened to me since then. Go on – get your life back in order."

Talon stared at me in gratitude, then ran off immediately to do just that.

"Always knew there was something that didn't ring true about you," Scourge's voice came from nearby. He was hanging upside-down from a nearby fence, somehow managing to get there without my noticing. "Nice of you to confirm it for me. Betcha Ganondorf would love to hear about this."

"What's it matter to you?" I said, turning to leave.

"Could work for him. Like I do. Sorta. I pass stuff on to him, I get rewarded. Everyone benefits."

"As long as 'everyone' happens to mean 'you' I notice," Navi added.

"Whatever works," Scourge shrugged. "Whatcha think?"

"I think you're even more deluded than you are stupid," I told him. "First you try to steal from me, then you try to recruit me to work for my enemy. You're not having a good break when it comes to me, are you?"

"Think what you want," he answered, flipping himself up on top of the fence. "People who confess to being Ganondorf's enemies don't last long around here once he finds out."

"He has to catch me first. Or he could send you after me, but..." I raised one hand toward him. He apparently recalled the lesson I'd taught him before, falling back off the fence. "That's what I thought," I chuckled. "Always nice threatening you, Scourge," I threw back to him, leaving him behind me as I turned to leave.

"Was that a good idea?" Navi asked.

"Was what a good idea?"

"Telling him you and Ganondorf are enemies. If he goes running..."

"Let him," I shrugged. "He has to figure out where we are – which temple we're at, if any at all, and get there before we leave again. With Farore's Wind for short-distance transport and Epona for longer journeys, he'll have a lot of catching up to do."

"And threatening him like that?"

"Oh, don't be silly. I wouldn't risk that just yet. I'm still not used to this extra power, Navi. I couldn't be sure anything I did wouldn't harm him accidentally. Not that it isn't tempting," I added after a moment. "But I was bluffing."

"I hope you're right about this, Silver."

"I'm a hero, remember?"

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Everyone knows heroes always beat evil," I replied. "That's why they're heroes."

* * *

"_I_ don't remember being that cocky," Tails remarked. "It's bad for your heath."

"Says the fox who went toe to toe with Ganondorf in a sword fight," Silver replied. "And who tried to keep his friends out of danger as well, as I recall."

"I was just looking out for them. It was Knuckles who changed my mind, insisting he was going to come along anyway. Did you ever..."

"Get someone else come along with me? Not until I visited Termina, and even then... well, I'll tell you about that later." Silver paused, his eyes going momentarily distant, then he added, "Alright, you can stop hiding now. I know you're there."

"I told you he'd find you sooner or later," Tails laughed as Sonic came into view.

"Can you blame me?" Sonic asked. "Two of my friends heros, one I get to go with and the other telling his story? Can't expect me not to want to hear it, can you?"

"You could have just asked, you know," Silver replied, waiting for Sonic to pick a place to settle in, then continued his story.

* * *

There wasn't much more for me to do in Kakariko. I asked about a bit to try to find out about the well, only to come across a curiosity – the windmill used to draw water up from the well, but a boy in green with a fairy had gone into the windmill, played a strange song and caused it to dry up the well.

That undoubtedly had to be me, since the Kokiri wouldn't leave the forest and Scourge didn't have a fairy, but I had no memory of ever going into the windmill. Unless, of course, I could use the Temple of Time to go _back_ in time again as well, perhaps by replacing the Master Sword? Next time I saw Zelda – or Sheik rather – I intended to ask her about that. It could come in very useful.

I retrieved Epona from the stables and headed back out onto Hyrule Field to head on to the Forest Temple – this side trip had been useful in some ways, but I was meant to be saving the world, after all.

The trip there was as uneventful as Hyrule Field always was. If anything, it was even more peaceful than it had been before – but hadn't Rauru said this was now a land of monsters? By the way the locals reacted to my current appearance, I was the only monster on Hyrule Field, it seemed.

Unlike Kakariko, the way into Kokiri Forest wasn't suited to bring Epona in with me, and even if I had I wouldn't have left her there. She was content to graze just outside the hollow log entrance and wait for me while I headed in. I just hoped no one would find her there and try to steal her.

The bridge where I'd last seen Saria in person was exactly as I remembered it, a wooden rope bridge over a part of what I guessed was the Lost Woods, leading neatly from one log tunnel to the other, and from there into Kokiri Forest. It may have only been my home while I was here, but it was still my home, and I felt better for returning at long last.

As I entered the forest clearing where I'd spent my first few days however, all was not as I remembered it. The tree-houses were all there, exactly as they had been. The pillars and bridges between them still there. The great canopy of the Great Deku Tree was visible in the distance, still holding on to most of its leaves even now.

But the little shoots and plants I'd seen on my way out of the forest were no longer little. Some of them had grown into the plants Deku Scrubs inhabited, the Scrubs occasionally popping up to look around as if searching for something to sput Deku Nuts at. Others had become Deku Babas, but not just any Deku Babas – these ones had grown massive. There was one not far from the entrance, a giant blue bud nestled in the leaves at first until I got close enough for it to sense me, then it rose up to easily twice and probably more my height.

They were, however, just Deku Babas and still acted the same way as ordinary ones. I waited until it lunged for me, jumped aside then darted in to bring the Master Sword down hard on its thick stem. I expected to get some resistance from it, but it sheared through easily. Sword of Evil's Bane indeed!

A nearby Deku Scrub heard the commotion and spotted me, starting to spit nuts at me. Unlike those I'd encountered before, it spit three nuts in quick succession rather than one. I treated it just the same though, pulling out the Hylian shield to reflect them back. I found I could wield this shield easily without needing my mind any more. Being older had _some_ benefit to it, it seemed.

Once I was sure there was nothing else close enough to try and attack me, I noticed the Kokiri were not present either, but I assumed this was because they'd taken shelter in their homes. A quick search confirmed this for all but two of them – Mido and Saria. Neither of them were in their homes, nor the clearing, not even at the Great Deku Tree.

Though I can't say I exactly liked him, I wasn't prepared to wish something had happened to Mido, and Saria's disappearance troubled me. Surely she of all people would know where the Forest Temple was? I needed to know so I could go there myself.

Playing her song got us no response. Either she could not or would not respond for whatever reason. Who else could I go to? The Kokiri wouldn't recognise me, that was for sure. Unless...

"Navi?" I said, starting up the hill toward the house of the Know It All brothers. "Is there anything – anything at all – known about what happens to a Kokiri that leaves the forest? And I don't mean me or Scourge either."

"I don't think so," she answered. "I was never told anything about it, except that the Kokiri believed they'd die if they left the forest. Why do you ask?"

"I might need to convince a few Kokiri of who I am, and I think I'm going to have to borrow the curse story for it. I don't really like the idea of lying to the Kokiri – they are my friends, after all – but... I need to know where the Forest Temple is, and I'm hoping one of them will know."

"You lie about it then and if they ask I'll conveniently remember the Great Deku Tree telling me something to confirm it," she answered. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind us doing that. It's for a good cause, after all."

"Somehow I was hoping you'd say something like that," I murmured, entering their house. There were a few other Kokiri there, exactly as I remembered them. They never changed a bit. "Don't worry," I told them quickly, seeing them start to back away from me. "I'm not really a monster, I just look like one!"

"Then where did you get those clothes?" one of them asked. "And the fairy?"

"I was given these when I met the Great Deku Tree, seven years ago. A few days later he sent Navi to me to be my fairy." I paused, then said, "You don't recognise me because of this, do you?" There was a mass of heads shaking. "I left the forest on the same day the Great Deku Tree died because he told me I had to. This is what happened to me when I left. Remember now?"

"Silver?" one of them asked. "But Silver..." they shared a look.

"Mido told us Silver was never coming back because he'd killed the Great Deku Tree."

"Mido would say that," I sighed. "I didn't kill him. A man from the desert far to the west cursed him. I tried to break the curse, but was too late."

"That's what Saria said," another of them nodded. "She said you'd come back some day."

"We wanted to believe her, but then the monsters started to appear," the first continued. "We had to hide inside so they wouldn't get us."

"That's why I've come back," I told them. "Someone told me if I went to the Forest Temple I'd find a way to make the monsters all leave again, but I don't know where to find it."

"Saria said she knew where it was, but she wouldn't tell us. She headed into the Lost Woods a while back, but hasn't been seen since."

"Mido went looking for her, but now he's missing too."

"I'll find them both," I promised. "Even if Mido still doesn't like me. You'd think after seven years he'd change his mind."

"Silver!" one of them called as I turned to leave. They shared another look, then, "Welcome home. But... be careful out there?"

I winked back, then headed back out into the forest.


	24. Into the Woods

I'd never ventured into the lost woods before, always keeping in mind the warning I'd been given not to go there – at least not without another Kokiri. With the monsters around though I knew I couldn't ask the Kokiri to come with me, so I was on my own here.

Rather than scale the vine-choked cliffs to reach yet another hollow log tunnel, I decided to conserve my energy and just float up instead. I'm fairly sure I spotted a Kokiri in a doorway watching curiously, but I wasn't really paying attention – except for monsters.

The Lost Woods themselves were unusual. Through that first log tunnel was a small clearing with three more tunnels, one in each direction including the one I'd come through. A thick growth of trees and plants loomed overhead, leaving the entire clearing in their shadow despite the clear sky above. Had it not been for the musical tune that had set Darunia to dancing, now echoing through the woods, I would have been lost – as it was, it sounded stronger to my right than any other direction. It wasn't the most logical thing to follow, but it was Saria's song, and I was looking for her, so...

I followed it through the eastward tunnel into an identical clearing, though instead of the east wall of plants there was a drop to a lower, overgrown area with a dead tree hanging over it. There was a kind of target hanging from a branch of the tree, and a Deku Scrub flower just above that. For a moment I considered taking out my slingshot, only to find for some reason it hadn't remained with me. Perhaps someone had stolen it during the seven years I'd been sealed away?

That would be inconvenient, but it was something to worry about later. The song now came from my left, the north tunnel, so I followed it once more to – yes – another clearing. This one was almost identical to the first, except for a boulder in one corner. I started to understand how these woods had gained their name – if you weren't careful, you'd lose your way and get turned around easily.

The song once again came from the east, followed through yet another log tunnel to yet another clearing – this one different again. This time the uniform square layout was broken on one side by a lake, at the bottom of which lay a stone archway similar to the one used by the Zoras to reach Lake Hylia more readily. A shortcut to Zora's Domain, hidden within the Lost Woods?

I didn't get the chance to dwell on that though, because though the song had stopped playing at the north exit of this particular clearing was the familiar pest of Mido, blocking my way through the tunnel.

"Well this is familiar," I remarked. "You're in my way again, Mido."

"What do you mean 'again'? I've never seen you before."

"Guess again. You went around telling the other Kokiri they'd never see me again because I'd killed the Great Deku Tree."

Navi flew in front of him and added, "Remember me? You gave me directions to find him, didn't you? Never stopped to think I'd been sent to be his partner, did you?"

Mido recognised Navi at least, but remained unconvinced about me, giving me a distrustful look.

"You don't... you're not a Kokiri," he managed.

"Never was," I admitted. "It was the Great Deku Tree that clothed me to look like you, when I was actually a Hylian. I guess I must have become part Kokiri though, because this is what I became when I left the forest."

"Because you killed him?"

"For the last time, I didn't kill him," I sighed. "He asked me to break the curse that was killing him, except by the time I'd done that it was too late. He died because of the curse weakening him, not because of me. Honestly, don't you ever listen to what Saria says?"

"Aha! So that's why you're here! Well, you'll never get past me! You can pretend to be Silver all you want, I'll never let you see Saria – not unless you know the song she taught him when he left the forest!"

"Oh, is that all you want?" I said mildly. His triumphant look slipped when I took out Saria's ocarina again, and slipped even further when I played Saria's song on it.

"Why?" he burst out after I was done. "Why do you always do that? Can't you even pretend you have to go get something first?"

"Next time I'll make the effort to play along for you, Mido," I laughed. "Now are you going to let me through? I have to find Saria so she can tell me where the Forest Temple is."

He gave me a disapproving look, then answered, "Follow me. I'll take you part of the way to the temple, and you'll have no trouble finding it from there."

"But Saria-"

"Went to the Temple," he cut me off. "So you'll have to go there anyway. Don't think this makes us friends, Silver. I still don't accept you as a Kokiri."

"Whatever makes you happy, Mido," I chuckled, following him straight through another clearing, this one with no boulders or differences on the normal plain square design. Another left, then a right and we emerged into a slightly better lit area, a natural passageway blocked off by iron bars and pig-like snorts coming from the other side.

Mido stopped before entering that peaceful looking meadow, looking faintly fearful until he spotted me looking.

"Through there," he told me. "It leads to the Sacred Forest Meadow, and that's the entrance to the Forest Temple. But there's monsters in there now. Besides you, I mean."

"Thanks," I muttered. "At least I'm forwarned."

"Silver. You'd better bring Saria back safely. If anything happens this time..."

"I'll cut you a deal, Mido. Since you're so worried about her, you can come along with me and I'll protect you from whatever shows up."

"Silver," Navi murmured warningly. "What if..."

"Then I'll explain it like I did last time," I told her.

"What if what?" Mido asked suspiciously.

"I've picked up a little magic in the last seven years," I shrugged. "Some people think I ought to keep it quiet, but if it helps, why bother?"

Mido struggled with the idea for a time before reluctantly offering a compromise. "I'll tag along with you to the entrance, but I'm not coming in with you. Not yet, anyway. I want to see this magic of yours, and see you fight past those monsters first. Then maybe I'll..." he paused, then with even greater reluctance he finished, "I'll trust you to take care of me."

"Your confidence in me is touching," I murmured.

"Wait Silver," Navi stopped me again. "There's something just ahead. Two of them. Not very bright, but they're waiting for you."

"More magic?" Mido asked.

"In a manner of speaking," I replied. "I came up with it first, Navi's still learning. It comes in useful. Wait here while I deal with this."

"Don't order me around! I'm the boss of the Kokiri!"

"And who's protecting you?" I shot back at him, drawing my sword and shield as I warily headed into this meadow. Before I reached the gate two wolves leapt out of nearby bushes for me, each one circling me.

"Wolfos," Navi identified them. "Treat them like you did the Lizalfos in Dodongo's Cavern!"

I figured that since they were unarmed, except for their claws, they would be easier targets than that. However, when I struck out at one it lifted one paw in response, catching my sword on its claws somehow avoiding harm.

The other reared back on its hind legs to swipe a foreleg at me, but I withdrew my sword from the first and jabbed low to catch its belly. It gave a yelp, leaping back from the sword to avoid further harm.

The first one tried to take advantage of that distraction to attack me, its claws scraping harmlessly on the shield while I stabbed just below the shield to catch it the same way. It too flipped back, joining the other one in circling me.

They grew wary of me then, not letting me get close enough to repeat. Every time I headed for one, the other would close in on me, and when I turned to attack that one it would jump back while the other came in.

"Alright," I said. "Then try some of this instead." I sheathed the sword, reaching into my tunic for Din's Fire, then sent a brief jolt into the gem – less than usual to take into account the stronger power I had. The resulting lick of flame was as strong as any I had made before, kept tightly controlled as I split it into two streams, each one snaking through the air to each Wolfos. One tried to swipe at the fire, withdrawing its hand with a startled yelp of pain, then the fire caught it. The other watched this, distracted, allowing me to blast the fire straight into its face. Like most enemies, they both simply vanished when they were defeated.

"You weren't kidding about magic," Mido remarked, coming to join me as the iron bars dropped.

"Did you really expect me to?" I answered, pausing where the bars had been to listen. "There's something just around the corner," I murmured. "Not sure what it is exactly. I've never come across one before. It's big and by the sounds of it powerful, but not too bright."

"I'll take a look," Navi said, flying up above us.

"Watch out for yourself," I warned her. "If any of them have bows..."

"They're armed with spears, Silver," she called back. "They're just moblins. They'll charge you if they see you, but they're too stupid to do anything else. He could walk right past you there and not notice you."

I poked my head cautiously around the corner to see the retreating back of the moblin, then looked the other way down the natural corridor to see a pool of water a short distance away. The corridor seemed only just wide enough for the moblin.

"Convenient," I said. "But there's not enough space there for us to sneak past before it turns around and notices us."

"You're assuming it comes back this way," Mido said.

"Look here on the ground," I pointed ahead of us. "You can see the grass has been worn away here. I'm guessing that moblin's been ordered to patrol this area only, and it's too stupid to do anything else. It's been going back and forth here so much, there's nothing else it could do. Besides, listen," I said, stepping back a bit. The heavy thump of moblin footsteps came close, then the towering creature stomped past – just as Navi predicted, completely oblivious to us. It was protected by a heavy looking breastplate, but the armour did not extend around behind it.

"How are we going to get past this?" Mido demanded.

"With a bit more magic," I told him with a wink. I took out the bomb bag, noting that it was among the few belongings that had remained with me, then waited for the moblin to go back past us again. I took out a bomb and, with a few gibberish words to convince Mido it was magic, had it float up and land on the moblin's shoulder.

It continued to stomp away, then there was a detonation and a piglike squeal, followed by a heavy thump and metallic clang. I risked a look around the corner to see the moblin laying on the ground. Just to be certain it wouldn't get back up again, I leapt over to it and stabbed the Master Sword into its unprotected back in a variant of the ending blow, causing the moblin to vanish, defeated.

"One down," I said, listening to the sounds of more moblins coming from further in. "More to go."


	25. Moblin Bashing

Despite his reservations about me, Mido remained just behind me peering warily out between my arm and shield, perhaps hoping if anything did attack, it would offer him some protection.

The natural corridors the moblins were patrolling zig-zagged at first. We turned the corner where the first one had been defeated, approaching the next corner cautiously. One moblin came into view, reaching the corner. Mido held his breath, then relaxed as the moblin turned around away from us to head back down the corridor. I sent a bomb rolling after it to knock it down, then once again finished it off with the sword.

"Been meaning to ask you," Mido said on the way down its patrol route. "Just where did you get that sword?"

"This one? In the Temple of Time."

"No, I mean the one you had before. The Kokiri Sword."

"Oh. That one. I found it. There's a tunnel just up by the Know it All Brothers' house."

"You took the Kokiri secret treasure without asking?"

"Were you using it?" I asked calmly, listening ahead. "Another moblin round the corner. Doesn't look like he patrols down this way. Anyway, if I hadn't picked it up, it would have made my task a lot harder."

"Task? What task?"

"The one the Great Deku Tree gave me. Not that I really understood until I met Princess Zelda. I had to pick up the three Spiritual Stones so she and I could go into the Temple of Time and get the Triforce before Ganondorf did."

"Who's he?"

"The one who cursed the Great Deku Tree," Navi told him. "Moblin just turned around, Silver."

"I saw," I replied, sending another bomb down.

"You're... very good at this," Mido said, looking slightly embarrassed to have said it. "If you tell anyone I said that-"

"Don't worry," I chuckled. "I'll keep it quiet. Actually I'm just making a lot of this up as I go along."

"You _what?_" Mido stopped and stared after me while I dispatched the third moblin. There was another pool of water at the end of this corridor marking the end of this route in favour of another one to the north. Navi flew up and over to have a look while I waited for Mido.

"Don't sound so surprised," I said. "Half the time I don't even know what I'm going to get into. You can't make plans for something you don't know about."

"One path," Navi called back. "It goes left and right, but is only patrolled by one moblin. Two pools of water at either end, and a route that goes up further."

"That's the place," Mido said. "At the other end of that is the real Sacred Forest Meadow, and the entrance to the Forest Temple too."

"There's another moblin there," she added, returning. "He's bigger than the others and has a massive club."

"We'll just wait for him to turn around-" I started

"He doesn't turn around, Silver. He isn't moving at all, he's just waiting. Probably for us."

"What now?" Mido demanded.

"I'll figure out something," I shrugged. "We can wait here for the nearest moblin first."

"Did you stop him?" Mido asked suddenly while we waited.

"Who?"

"Ganondorf, of course. Who did you think I meant?"

"Sorry. I was slightly distracted. And no... he managed to trick me into opening the last door to the Sacred Realm. He doesn't have the Triforce though. Not all of it anyway," I added, showing him the piece nestled in my hand. "I was told it split into three pieces. Then Ganondorf conquered the world outside. There was nothing I could do to stop him until now."

The moblin stomped past, snorting away until I bombed him too.

"Navi," Mido's fairy spoke up for the first time since meeting him here in the future. "The water?" She still used as few words as she needed. I never quite understood what she was saving them up for.

"You and I can just fly," Navi replied understanding better than I did. "Silver and Mido will have to swim – unless Silver decides to do a little magic." Then to me, "Might not be a bad idea actually. We could go right over that club moblin's head."

"And have him club us out of the air?" Mido suggested.

"Maybe not," I said. "I've got an idea. We might not need to fly the whole way, but-"

"Just a moment," he said, looking sceptical. "Do what?"

"Fly," I repeated.

"That's what I thought you said. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a Kokiri, not a bird."

"And I'm a hedgehog right now, but you don't see me letting that stop me. Just relax and leave this to me," I told him when we reached the pool of water. I muttered more 'magic' under my breath, just enough for him to notice, gesturing at him with one hand as I floated up myself. He came up as well with a startled look.

I took us over the pool and up the steps northbound to another, larger corridor. Sure enough there was a giant moblin holding a massive club. He pounded the ground with it where we were, too stupid to notice that we weren't on the ground. A shockwave of earth shot toward us, passing harmlessly underneath.

"There's not enough room to fly above it without getting caught by that club," I observed, looking up to the broad canopy of branches intertwined above. "Though that assumes he's bright enough to try to swipe at us with it."

"So what are you going to do?"

"A bit more magic," I grinned back. I waited for the moblin to realise he wasn't achieving anything – which took a while – then when he settled I took hold of the club and brought it up sharply against him. It made a great _crack!_ as it impacted his hard head. The moblin stared at it in dull astonishment, then I tore it from its hands and whacked it over the head with its own club. He kept reaching for it, but it danced clear of his meaty hands every time until he was finally defeated.

Even Mido couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the moblin being beaten up by its own club.

I set us down just beyond the end of the route in the Sacred Forest Meadow. Like the rest of the Lost Woods there was a vast growth around the edge of the meadow that shaded a fair part of this considerable clearing. There was another raised design, like the one at the entrance of the Temple of Time, though this one held the same design as I'd seen on the green carving in the Chamber of Sages.

A Gossip stone sat in one corner with moss growing only in the lines on it, accenting the design on it in green to give it a strangely alive look. Just opposite where we'd come in was a low tree stump, and the remains of the top of a staircase hung out over an opening above, a tree serving as a natural support for what was left.

I picked up the sense of Zelda's presence passively again as I looked around.

"Don't get excited," I warned Mido. "He's a friend."

"Who is?" he asked, searching the clearing for anyone.

"I am," the voice of Sheik came from behind us. "I did not expect to see you here," she added to Mido.

"Someone's gotta keep an eye on Silver," he asserted. "Can't let him run free in the secret Temple of our woods, can I?"

"Let him be," I told her. "If he wants to come along, he can. I'll keep him from harm. I've got a question for you, by the way."

"Yes," Sheik said. "You can."

I blinked, momentarily stumped. "You can – wait, you knew what I was going to ask?"

"I was advised in advance. Next time you return there, I will meet you there to pass on a song to you, just as I will here."

"Another one. Just what I need – any more and I'll start forgetting them."

"Then I'll just have to remind you," Navi said. "What does this song do, Sheik?"

"Play this song, the Minuet of Forest, only on the Ocarina of Time, and it will bring you back here whenever you wish. That is the purpose of these designs," she said, indicating the one just nearby.

"One song for each Temple," I said. "A quick way of getting around in a pinch. Alright, teach me the song and then we'll make a start on the Forest Temple."

Sheik chose not to say anything else, teaching me the song then just as she had in the Temple of Time, using a Deku Nut to vanish, the sense of her presence fading with her.

"I wish I knew how he does that," I complained. "The Deku Nut I can understand, but how the devil does he manage to get out of reach so quickly?"

"Out of reach of what?" Mido asked.

"My mind," I replied absently. "Not all of what I do is magic – some of it is... well, the word for it is psychokinesis, but that probably doesn't mean anything to you."

"Not really. What does it mean?"

"Means using your mind to do things instead of your hands. I can use it to tell where people are, but somehow Sheik manages to get beyond reach of that in an instant."

"Temple?" Mido's fairy suggested.

"What? Oh, right," I said, lifting us up again. "Thanks for reminding me."

This time I set us down just past the remains of the stairs, entering the opening in the part stone, part plant wall that was the entrance to the Forest Temple.

The Temple itself did not appear to be a Temple in the normal sense – the area beyond still had the sky above us, and though the lower parts of the walls were stone, above them was the typical tall growth of trees. There were two trees growing down on the same level as us, both tangled up in various vines and blooms.

"Wolfos again," Navi warned. "Just ahead. Chest up on top of this tree," she added, flying over to the east one.

"No problem. I think I can handle them a little easier this time. First though – Mido, if I send you up to that chest would you get whatever is inside for me while I deal with the Wolfos?"

"Making me useful as well as keeping me safe I see," Mido said. "Can't you make it so I can fly on my own?"

"It's not an easy thing to do, Mido. It takes a lot of practise. Just leave it to me for now."

Mido didn't look too happy about that, but accepted it all the same. Once I was sure he was safely on the top of the tree, I drew the Master Sword and approached the door opposite to bring out the two Wolfos.

This time I waited until one started to attack, then quickly dodged around behind them to strike its unprotected rear, finishing it in one easy blow. The second loped in to avenge its fallen comrade, but this one received my shield in his face, sending it reeling back wide open to attack.

"Why didn't I think of that before?" I muttered to myself.

"Because you wanted to show Mido a bit of magic?" Navi suggested. "Best bring him down-"

"Never mind," Mido told us. "I climbed down the vines. Here – this is what was in there." He handed me a small silver key.

Yes Tails, I know you were the only one who could open chests when you went to Hyrule. I don't know why that didn't happen for me, but my guess is your chests were made differently.

There was no lock on the door though and no apparent need for it just yet, so it was tucked away as we headed through into the short corridor beyond.

"Biiiiig Skulltula," Mido stammered, seeing one hanging down from the ceiling to block our path.

"Ah, these guys are easy," I dismissed it. I got close enough to bring it within reach of my sword, then poked carefully to make it turn around and finally stabbed its unprotected belly. Unlike the Kokiri Sword, the Master Sword finished it in one single blow.

"I don't know what's worse," Mido said with a slight shudder. "You, or the real monsters."

"At least I'm not trying to get you like they are," I pointed out, letting us into the next room – a cavernous decorated room with at least half a dozen different exits, some on raised areas accessible only from steps, others barred off with carved stone railings. Some exits were in deep tunnels, others simply set into the wall.

In the center of the chamber were four torches forming a square around a curious wooden structure, each of the four torches burning with a different colour. As we watched however the light rose up off the torches into lanterns that faded into sight out of nowhere. The wooden structure sank into the floor as the phantom torches became held by odd looking creatures, which then each headed off in a different direction, flying through the walls.

"Poes," Mido's fairy said.

"Right," Navi agreed. "But... I've never known them to do anything like that before. I wonder what it was for?"

"I'm guessing that thing that was there is going to be vital to our completing the Temple," I said. "And we'll have to return the four flames in order to make use of it. Someone pick a door – until we get a map of this place, its anyone's guess which way to go."


	26. Babas and Bones

By general agreement – and no real reasoning – we headed through the northern door of what we came to call the Grand Hall, reached by stairs and a ledge that we climbed up because Mido didn't want to waste magic. A nice thought, but not really necessary.

This put us into a hallway with a floating blue skull, glowing blue.

"Bubble," Navi said.

"No, that was in Jabu-Jabu's belly," I replied absently, bringing my sword down hard on its head. Nothing happened.

"Actually, those were called Shaboms," she said. "These are Bubbles. Hit it with your shield."

I did so, crushing it between shield and wall.

"Doesn't seem right, you know. Bubbles are bubbles, and those bubbles we saw in Jabu-Jabu's belly were bubbles."

"Those bubbles were Shaboms though, and these Bubbles are the real Bubbles."

Mido stared at one hand as if trying to use it to figure out what we were on about, then finally he said, "A bubble... that's not a bubble... what?"

"In Jabu-Jabu's belly we saw bubbles – as in a bubble in water," I explained. "Those are the ones Navi called Shaboms. These glowing skulls are actually called Bubbles."

"I think I got that now. But... who's Jabu-Jabu, and why were you in his belly?"

"It's a long story, Mido. Maybe before I leave the forest again, I'll take some time to tell you. Now, why don't we move on?"

The next door was also unlocked, leading us to a dead-end circle room. At first glance it was empty, but as the door barred behind us I knew there was something here. Mido, for all his attitude outside, dropped all pretence here and stayed closer to me than was probably necessary, clearly nervous. If the gear I'd picked up before had come with me... but then the Kokiri weren't fighters.

"Silver," he whispered. "If you can find things with your mind, why don't you use that?"

"Because its harder to find monsters," I replied. "Their minds are much more simple. People have more complicated minds because they can think. I can feel you there because of that, but that's all."

"Navi?" his fairy asked.

"I can tell a bit better than Silver because I've been focusing on detecting them," she answered. "It means I'm not as good at picking up other people though."

"Anything here?" I asked her.

"Something, but I can't tell what. It's nothing I've come across before."

"That's comforting," I muttered. "Stay close Mido, and if I do something to you its for your own safety so don't object."

"Wasn't going to," he replied, following me as we edged in. When we reached the middle of the room two humanoid skeletons dropped down, each armed with a cruel looking sword and a small round shield. They had tattered remains of clothing and glowing red eyes, their bones sometimes stained with things best not thought about.

In a swift movement I gestured to Mido to send him flying up high above them, ducking under a strike one of them made for me while I jabbed – only to find nothing. Stabbing attacks weren't going to work on these things, I was going to have to smash them instead – but with a sword?

"Stalfos!" Navi exclaimed. "Like the Lizalfos," she informed me quickly. "But scatter their bones when you defeat them or they'll just get back up again!"

I didn't answer that, concentrating on the one facing me. I started to understand why she'd reminded me of the Lizalfos – they never both approached me at the same time and they were armed similarly. The only real difference was these things had no flesh to injure.

I blocked another strike it made for me, its sword clattering off my shield as I struck again, not a stab but a slash made with the flat of the blade instead of the edge. It caught the spine and knocked a chunk loose, but it was only one chunk. It was unsteady for a time until its comrade came up behind and pulled out the loose chunk, causing the Stalfos to lose a little height, but regain its balance.

Then I had an inspiration. It might be a skeleton animated by magic, but surely removing its head would have some effect on it? Unfortunately every strike I made, it moved to block or avoid. We banged on each others shields, each of us trying to reach past the others defences until I had the idea of using this against it.

A strike aimed at the ribs caused it to lower the shield to cover them, then using my mind to help I moved the sword upward, turning it once again so the flat was facing it and sent it into the side of its head. The Stalfos froze as the skull shot off.

"Fore," I grinned, seeing the other Stalfos hastily move to catch it.

The skull's eyes were still glowing, and though it was separated from the rest of the skeleton it was still animate. But because it was no longer attached and was viewing its own fight from a third-person perspective, it had more trouble coordinating its attacks, and even more when I circled to put myself right in its view. I shattered the Stalfos with a series of blows, making sure each one was scattered around so they wouldn't get together again.

"Silver, behind you!" Mido shouted down as the legs toppled on their own. I lashed out with my mind, shoving back as I turned. The other Stalfos stumbled back from my hasty mental blow, its sneak attack thwarted, but still held itself ready.

It had learned from watching its unfortunate comrade though. It wasn't going to let me do the same thing again and it knew it, giving a hollow sounding laugh.

"Laugh at me, will you?" I said – and had another idea. It was risky but it might make it just a bit easier.

I nudged my shield back on to my back, altering my stance so my sword was still between it and me without leaving myself exposed at all, reaching for one of the pouches. I told them apart by feel, finding the one I needed.

"Go on – laugh at me," I taunted the Stalfos.

It obligingly did so, giving me the chance I wanted. I quickly drew out a bomb and shoved it in its skeletal mouth, fending off an attack as I did so. Because its jaws had no flesh to them they had opened far wider than they should have, and now they tried to close on the bomb stuck in place.

The Stalfos dropped its armaments as I got clear, scrabbling at the bomb with bony fingers, but was unable to remove it – its jaws held it fast, still trying to close. It didn't seem bright enough to think of opening its mouth, and so the bomb exploded, destroying its skull and part of the upper ribs. The rest of the skeleton stood still for a moment, then fell apart. I set another bomb among the remains to ensure they got scattered around as well.

I brought Mido down now the danger was past, noting the door had become unbarred with the fall of the two Stalfos. A chest also appeared amongst the bones, opened to find a second small key. There wasn't anything else to do here, so we started back toward the Grand Hall.

Mido had a useful thought he shared when he landed, quickly running to join me. "Hey, Silver. That second Stalfos – when I warned you about it, it stumbled back as if it had walked into something. Was that your psycho thing?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You can do stronger stuff than that, right?"

"Of course. I only used enough there to push it back."

"Why didn't you just use that to shatter the skeletons then?" he asked.

"You know, that would have made it much easier, wouldn't it?" I said eventually.

"That's alright Silver," Navi said mischievously . "We know you heroes aren't always very bright."

"Hey! Watch it!" We emerged back into the Grand Hall, so I added, "Alright, new direction someone. Maybe this time we'll find a few more rooms."

"Next?" Mido's fairy suggested, flying over to our right and a tunnel going northwest. Then she flew back and added, "Blocked."

Now Navi went and had a look, only she didn't come back. "Hey, Silver," she called. "Come have a look at this."

I headed down the steps to the edge of the ledge below, leaning out into the tunnel. There was a blue block at the end, but from here I couldn't make out what so I headed down.

"Wait a moment," I murmured. "Isn't that-"

"The same design that was on the Door of Time," Navi finished. "I thought you'd recognise it too."

"Does that really help much?" Mido asked.

"I think so," I replied. "I had to play the Song of Time to open the Door of Time. Maybe it'll do something about this block as well."

He didn't look convinced, but I reasoned there had to be some connection. Playing the song the first time didn't do anything, until Navi pointed out I'd taken out the wrong ocarina and had me try again.

With the song played on the Ocarina of time the blue stone vanished in a blue light that looked very similar to the one I'd seen when I'd taken out the Master Sword, unveiling a door that had been hidden behind.

This door was unlocked, letting us out on some stone steps at the edge of what, had it not been for its location and resident monsters, would have been a nice outdoor garden. Like the entrance chamber, there was a tall wall of foliage above the top of the stone walls here.

The wall to our right had vines reaching up it with several Skulltulas on, while to our left was a well instead, and across a short river just ahead was a string of pillars supporting a marble beam that extended out from a walkway high above. I could see a door in one of the alcoves up there, so dismissed the idea of flying up there early.

Right in front of us was a giant Deku Baba, already rearing up as we entered the garden area. Mido hid behind me again, but I quickly realised from the length of its stem we were out of its reach. Its bud watched us, snapping occasionally as it bobbed on the end of the stem, then it finally lunged for us. Mido jumped back, colliding with the door, I stood my ground and watched as the bud stopped just in front of me.

"Did you want something?" I asked it pleasantly as it strained against the stem tethering it, still snapping for me, then I jabbed it with my sword. It snapped back up, the stem stood straight up now and a single strike severed it.

"How can you keep so calm?" Mido demanded. "If its stem had been a bit longer..."

"But it wasn't, and I noticed that," I reassured him.

"Octorok in the river," Navi warned. I approached the river to make it show itself, then as I had before sent the rocks it spat back at it with my mind.

"That's unnerving," Mido muttered.

"You know I've got strange abilities, Mido."

"Yeah, but it's still strange to see a rock stop in mid-air, turn around and go back to the thing that spat it out. Where are we going next? There's no other door here, except them up there."

"Look up at the top of the vines," I said, pointing to a small gap. "There's a door just in there."

"But what about the Skulltulas?"

I winked at him, letting go of my sword while keeping hold of it mentally. Mido's jaw dropped watching it apparently go off on its own to stab each Skulltula in turn, then return to me. I left him to watch while I headed over to the vines to climb up. Mido ran to catch up once again, so I waited for him before the door.

"You teach me how to do that," he told me when he eventually found his voice. "And I might just accept you as a Kokiri."

"Just what we need," I laughed. "Kokiri with psychokinesis. As if having a fairy playing around with it wasn't bad enough."

"I'm being serious!" he insisted, opening the door for me, then stepping back again as another Blue Bubble appeared in the doorway. I caught him before he fell, letting the Bubble continue past as it hadn't actually noticed us. "If we had that kind of power we wouldn't have anything to fear from monsters any more."

"If I do what I have to here, the monsters will be banished from the forest again, just like when the Great Deku Tree protected you," I countered, bashing the Blue Bubbles in the room. When hit with the shield its blue glow faded leaving them vulnerable to conventional attacks. A large chest appeared with its demise, opened to reveal the map I'd been after.

"Yeah, but what if something happens here again? And anyway, what help can I be here without it?"

"Wasn't it your idea to come along even knowing that?" Navi inquired.

Mido fidgeted uneasily. "I... didn't think there'd be many monsters here."

"Could be in for seeing a lot more if this is anything to go by," I told him, looking over the map. "This doesn't tell me what we'll see, but it gives me an idea of how big the Temple is. It makes the dungeons we went through before look like a cakewalk, and some of these rooms have markings on I can't read."

"Give me that," Mido said with an exasperated sigh. "Which markings?" I pointed them out, the same markings on two almost identical rooms on either side. "Twisted flow?" What's that meant to mean?"

"At least you can read it," I said. "What about that marking there?" I pointed to another one. "And this too."

"Falling ceiling," he read out as I pointed to the first, then for the second, "Room spin. None of these things make any sense."

"You're telling me. What's behind this next door?"

"Looks like a mirror image of the one we just left," Mido replied. "Of course, you could just open the door and have a look."

He was right, to a point. There were a few differences to the previous open garden. There were no vines leading down from our high point, instead there was a small balcony with a normal sized Deku Baba on, like the giant one before just far enough away to be out of reach. There was no bridge over the river here, and no pillars there or raised route along the side of the room, except for one balcony that would have been completely unreachable, had it not been for my abilities.

The Deku Baba reached for us, but since it was plainly obvious that it couldn't reach us we ignored it. I lifted us up and over it to the other balcony, where I set Mido down to trigger the switch there. As the switch depressed under his weight he looked back to the Deku Baba and blew a raspberry at it – and after a moment's surprise, it returned the favour back at him.

"I love doing that to them," he confided to me as I dropped us safely down to the floor below. "I used to go into the Great Deku Tree when he needed someone to check on the monsters, and I'd always do that to them."

"Strange occupation for a Kokiri."

"A bit of harmless fun," he shrugged. "Well, usually harmless."

"Usually?"

"I got too close once and it bit my nose. I threatened to uproot it and it let go again."

"What a fascinating little story," I observed, dispatching another Octorok in the river.

"Thought you'd like it. What did the switch do?"

"Emptied the well."

"According to the map, you should be able to climb down and find a chest there. At least, it looks something like a chest. There's something there."

"Want to wait here while I have a look?"

"Want me to bring a Deku Baba for your nose?" he asked in return.

"Point taken."

"Children," Navi sighed disparagingly. "Do you boys suppose we could move on now? Or did you want to share childhood stories some more?"


	27. Poe Puzzles

**A/N: **Wasn't able to get anything written these past two days as something came up, so I'll make up for it today with three chapters - the first of which comes right now.

There are a few minor differences to the actual Forest Temple here, made to make things just a little easier to write, but otherwise its still the same twisted place we're used to seeing. Just with some added Silver flair.

Enjoy.

* * *

The drained well provided a convenient route between the two open gardens, the chest at the far end netting us our third small key. After dealing with another giant Deku Baba at the exit door of the eastern garden, we found ourselves once again in the Grand Hall.

"Next one over again?" Mido suggested, glancing at the map. "It's locked, but one of those keys should fit it."

"Should think so," I replied, taking them out. Each one was identical. "If not, I want a word with the locksmith hired for this place."

I picked a key at random, turning it in the lock which clicked, then it, the chains and the key all faded out of existance.

"I guess that explains why the keys are all identical," Mido remarked. "Skulltula again," he added, backing behind me.

Once again I persuaded the giant Skulltula to turn around so I could kill it.

"What is your problem with them? They're not going to get you unless you get too close."

"You'd have a problem with them too if one suddenly shot down in front of you," Mido retorted. "Do you know how many of those things there are in the Great Deku Tree, even before he died?"

"Of course I do, I went through there myself. What's the map say about this room?" I asked, dispatching another Blue Bubble.

"Very little, if you must know. You'll have to explore."

Our two fairies had already flown ahead in different directions however, glancing through gaps in the upper levels ahead of us. There were several ledges hanging out in the air, some with ropes and posts acting as a basic fence. There was a silver eye switch in one wall, but without the slingshot or anything like it there wasn't any way to trigger it, especially not from down here. We could hear the sounds of more Bubbles bouncing around somewhere, but the sounds echoed down to us, hard to tell even the general origin of.

When the fairies returned, their news was simple.

"Block puzzle," Mido's fairy told us.

"I wouldn't call it a puzzle," Navi disagreed. "There are giant blocks on some of the floors that have to be moved into position, and there are arrows to point which way. It'd be harder since normal people can only push and pull them, but you shouldn't have to worry about that, Silver."

"You can show the way then?" Mido asked.

"Of course. Just go around the corner and it's fairly obvious."

It was even more obvious than that. The movable blocks were colour coded, as were the arrows for them. It was a simple matter to trace the arrows to their source and destination, then drag the block out without even needing to touch it. Mido looked on enviously as each block moved at my somewhat imperious gestures, but said nothing.

We found along the way a route to the eye switch and small platform before it, not that we could do much about it right there, then continued up to the top where there were two more Blue Bubbles, each easily dealt with. Another silver eye switch was set above the door here, but the door was locked with a conventional lock, not requiring the switch to be opened.

"What's the switch for then?" Mido wondered. "It has to have some use."

"Beats me," I replied, unlocking the door. "We'll probably find out later."

We headed through the door to what should have been an ordinary corridor with a plush, if slightly worn red carpet leading from one end to the other and supporting pillars on each side set at regular intervals.

However, the room twisted as it went along until the door at the other end was on what to us was the left wall.

"I guess this explains 'twisted flow' then," Navi said. "I wonder if you'll stay on the floor as it twists or if you'll have to stay the same way you are now?"

"Try," Mido's fairy said.

"We were going to," he told it absently as we set off.

At first it seemed like the corridor just twisted and that was all, but it soon became clear that as far as we were concerned, 'down' was wherever the carpet was. By the time we reached the other end the exit was placed normally relative to us, while the entry door was now the one on the wall.

The room this led us into was plain, constructed seemingly all out of greyish dirt instead of stone like the rest of the temple. Occasionally shoots and roots had broken through, but they appeared to us to be on one wall – just as on the wall opposite, in complete defiance of gravity, was a large, blue chest with golden designs on just like the Master Sword's scabbard.

"Watch out," Navi warned before we exited the alcove we were in. "There's a Wallmaster in here!"

"A what?" It came from both Mido and me simultaneously.

"It's like a severed hand. It hides on the ceiling – well, a wall here I guess – and you can't see it until it tries to drop down to get you. If it does get you it'll take you back to the entrance. The room with those two Wolfos in."

"Oh, really now?" I said. "I think we'll have to do something about that then."

I nudged my shield back down again, but this time took it off my arm and had it hold itself above us, adding to the area it could protect with a mental barrier around it so it would cover both Mido and me. Then I took out Din's Fire and set the whole thing ablaze, creating a fiery shield above us.

We jumped over to the first raised dirt stump in the room with it covering our passage, then sure enough something tried to drop down. I felt a pressure on my mind as whatever it was landed on the extended shield, then there was a charred smell and a few burned bits of finger fell down into view, vanishing before they hit what was currently the floor.

Since there was no longer any threat from them I brought us over to hover beside the chest on the wall, figuring I might be able to open it without coming in at a different angle. Another Wallmaster burnt itself while I tried, though the chest stubbornly refused to cooperate.

"This seems cruel," Navi murmured as a third Wallmaster helpfully dealt with itself for us.

"Fun though," I added. "And much easier too. I think I know what that eye switch back there is for now too. It straightens out that twisted corridor, meaning we get to the real floor of this room so we can open the chest. It seems like its made not to open if the floor has temporarily become a wall."

"Might as well move on then," Mido pointed to the door on the real floor of the room. "Map says there's a staircase weaving back and forth, heading down. Nothing remarkable about it. Room at the end of that has a weird squiggle on it that isn't anything I recognise."

I glanced over as he pointed it out.

"Looks like a bow to me," I said. "Not that it does any good. I've never used one before."

"You're a Hero," Navi told me. "You'll be fine. Heroes always know how to use stuff they've never seen before."

Remind you of anyone?

In the staircase room there were paintings hanging on the walls. One beside the door we entered that was completely black, another at the landing between the first and second staircases that depicted one of the four Poes. As we neared it there was a ghostly chuckle and the painting became black.

As we turned down the second staircase we saw another painting on the wall beside the exit door, also showing the Poe – and also turning black with a chuckle when we got close.

"Silver," Mido said. "Look back up there."

The painting up at the landing now showed the Poe.

Curiosity aroused I frowned, then sent my mind up to the painting – and it vanished, turning black. The one beside us was still black as well, so I headed up again to find the first painting. Now it had the Poe on it.

"Mido," I called back down. "Watch the painting down there."

"What for?"

"If I'm right, the Poe won't appear on a painting we're looking at, and it seems to be able to sense me looking with my mind. If you see that painting there and I watch this one, all I have to do is send my mind to the last one."

"What will that do?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "But if it needs a painting for some reason and we're watching all three, maybe it'll force it out and let us kill it to get that flame back."

"Kill it? It's a Poe, Silver – a ghost. It's already dead."

"Destroy it then. Just watch that painting, I'm about to see what happens."

I made sure I could see both the painting beside me and the one at the top, then sent my mind up to the top painting. The Poe disappeared from the top one, leaving me with two blank paintings.

"I can see it," Mido reported. "It's still in the painting, so I guess it doesn't care about me, only you."

"Well, it was worth a try," I sighed, heading back down to join him. The poe moved up to the landing painting again. "Don't be cooperative then!" I snapped up the stairs to it.

"I don't think it was trying to be," Navi muttered.

I didn't answer that, opening the door for a room almost identical to the one I'd faced the two Stalfos in – except there was only one Stalfos and this time a locked door on the other side. As we entered the center of the room crumbled and vanished to reveal, yes, the same room I'd fought those first two in. I could see the remains of them still scattered around the room.

This left us on a stone ring around the edge of the room with the lone Stalfos on the opposite side to us. Every time we moved one way, it moved to match us. After a few steps either way, I gave up and recalled Mido's idea from the room below, reaching out and delivering a stunning blow to the skeleton's side – and not just any single part of its side, to the whole thing from head to toe.

The Stalfos, not expecting this, shattered instantly in a burst of bones, many of which fell to the floor below.

"Told you it was a good idea," Mido smirked.

Then the door barred behind us and the ceiling dropped down, filling in the gap that had appeared but also bringing two more Stalfos. Mido's smirk fell off his face as he quickly hid behind me again.

He needn't have been worried however, as these two Stalfos quickly fell similarly. I experimented a little, trying to hit both of them on opposing sides at the same time, rather than my conventional one at a time approach. It caused the two skeletons to burst into each other, bones scattering everywhere as the two sets of bones bounced off each other and around the room.

"Stop blowing up my Stalfos!" a hollow voice boomed through the room, distorted too badly to tell who it belonged to – but I had a fair idea.

Interestingly, neither Mido or the two fairies seem to have heard the voice. Maybe Ganondorf had figured out a way to mimic what I could do. Either way, the door unbarred and a plain large chests appeared, leaving us with a well-made bow and a quiver of arrows.

"I wonder," I murmured to myself, heading back a room with Mido following curiously. The Poe was still in the landing painting. I picked out an arrow, taking aim with it. I may never have used one before then, but the principle wasn't hard to pick up. I'd become more skilled with it in time.

I loosed the arrow which arced neatly through the air without even needing to be guided at all, hitting the Poe in the painting with a solid _thunk!_ Both Poe and painting disappeared in the same yellow flame it had stolen from the Grand Hall.

"Must be in the upstairs one," Mido said, seeing it hadn't appeared in the one beside us.

"Best come with me this time – just in case," I told him, heading up to the landing to repeat on the upstairs painting. Again it disappeared in yellow flames. The Poe was left with only one painting left now and had nowhere else to flee. This time I came back down to confront it, shooting this painting too to force the Poe to emerge with an angry cry. Since I already had the bow in hand I simply drew another arrow and shot it twice, causing it to fade out of existance and leave its lamp behind. When it shattered the flame flickered out.

"Hopefully its gone back to the Grand Hall," Mido said. "Going to head through the locked door in the Stalfos room?"

"No, I'm going to backtrack a bit more. Those two eye switches we've passed can probably be triggered with this. There's that one we saw in the block room, and the one just outside the twisted room."

We did just that, finding the first eye switch dropped a small chest down with a similarly small key inside, then that my theory had been correct and the eye switch untwisted the corridor. That allowed us to collect a much bigger key – the Boss Key, Tails will tell you – but prevented us from re-entering the room where I had recently defeated the first of the four Poes. We had to trek all the way back down the corridor and un-switch the eye so the corridor twisted again to let us back in.

The paintings had not reappeared in there, so we carried right on through, back into the Stalfos room with their remains still scattered around to unlock the door. While we were there, Mido picked up a long bone from one of the remains.

When he saw my look, he defensively said, "Well, I've got to have _something_ to defend myself with. I can't go leaving it all up to you, can I?"

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. Your look said it all. Going through? Map says it's similar to the one we just left, so there's probably another Poe there."

The map was right. This Poe held the blue flame, but since it had decided to mimic the first Poe's hiding place, it fared no better and went down easily, returning a second flame to the Grand Hall and causing another small chest to appear, also containing a small key. At the top of the staircase here was another locked door, unlocked with the key we'd backtracked to get.

"See, if I hadn't gone to get this key, we'd have had to do it anyway," I said. "But it saved us a bit of time, doing it before we needed to."

"Not by much," Mido disagreed. "Besides, if you hadn't got that bow you wouldn't have had the idea to go back anyway."

"Whatever works," I replied. We'd come into another dirt chamber that also seemed affected by the twisted corridor, leaving us stood on one wall. Navi warned us again about Wallmasters, so I erected our fiery barrier once again, traversing it without issue but noting a hole in the real floor that should become accessible if I untwisted the corridor – the question was, if the corridor didn't let us in while untwisted, how was I going to reach it?

That got answered by the southern exit – another corridor untwisted but perhaps with a switch at the far end to twist it, this one containing two Green Bubbles in. Unlike the blue cousins, their green glow didn't disappear when hit with the shield, it just vanished by itself. A single arrow was all it took to defeat them both.

The last small key unlocked the door at the end, letting us into a small room that held a lava floor, an eye switch locked in ice – a bit out of place given the lava – and a single torch on a raised platform between us and the eye switch. Rather than defrost it with Din's Fire I simply shot an arrow through the torch's fire to defrost the eye and switch it at the same time, twisting the corridor. Now we could find out what was through the hole in the floor.


	28. Phantom of the Temple

What had been a hole in the floor before now led to another door with the corridor twisted up. It led us down a short staircase then around the corner to a long, broad hall. Two big Skulltulas hung down from the floor and a chest sat at the far end.

"This looks almost too easy to get through," I said. "As if it's some kind of trap."

"Silver, look up," Mido said. "I think you'll see why."

The ceiling above had cracks in it that were oddly straight, and in places – notably around the Skulltulas and the chest – had extra cracks. It looked like a part of the ceiling had been carved out so it would fall.

Sure enough when I approached the edge of its reach, it fell down, the cracks becoming gaps in it that would be safe havens on the floor. It remained down for a time, then though there was nothing securing it, it ascended, leaving the floor clear once again.

I used the two Skulltulas as target practise, shooting them down from the safe cover of the stable ceiling, then after the other part had fallen and risen once again I dragged the chest over to us, only to find some more rupees in there.

When it fell the second time I planned a route, then had an idea.

"Everyone stay close to me," I told them. "You two fairies might want to take cover, it'll make it easier on me."

"You're going to cheat again, aren't you?" Navi asked disapprovingly.

"It's not cheating if it stops you from getting squished," I replied airily as our fairies each took to our caps. Then I lifted Mido up with me, waited until the rising ceiling gave us enough room to travel, then practically threw us across the hallway for the door at the end. We landed in a spot I knew was safe beside the door just as the ceiling landed around us again.

"That was fun," Mido commented.

"You wouldn't say that if you were me," I replied, leaning on the wall nearby for a moment. "It's harder than you think to pick up the both of us and bring us here quick enough to avoid getting stuck between that and the floor, all in one go.

"Wouldn't it have been more sensible to just... use the gaps?"

"Oh, bother that. I can't be standing around waiting all day when there's heroing to be done."

Mido looked amused, but said nothing else. I didn't say anything about it, but it had actually been far easier than I'd thought it would have been. The extra power I got from being older was coming in useful here.

Once I'd taken a few moments to recover, we headed into the next room, a plain room that seemed empty at first. There was a door on the north side of the room, up on a raised ledge and another painting of a Poe, this time holding a green flame, but that appeared to be all.

Up on the ceiling however were five large blocks, each of the visible sides matching a quarter of the painting. One of them was different, holding pieces of one of the Poes we'd already encountered.

I got up onto the ledge and shot an arrow into the painting causing it to vanish and the blocks to drop down. It was clearly obvious which pieces were which, and since I didn't have to go down to push them around I had the four matching blocks set together to complete a second Poe picture in them, the last block unused as it held a different Poe.

The blocks disappeared to become the third of the four Poes, again easily dealt with. It turned invisible at one point, attacking with its flaming lantern, but I just placed my shield in its path to stop it, keeping an arrow ready to shoot it as soon as it became visible again.

After another short hallway with another big Skulltula in, we were once again in the Grand Hall, entering from the eastern side. Three of the four torches were burning brightly again with their respective colours, and the fourth Poe, as purple as the flame it carried, was waiting for us in the middle.

"Stay up here," I murmured to Mido.

"But-"

"It's safe here. We know from the paintings they're not interested in you, and if anything does come up I'll still be in here. Just yell or scream or something, and I'll notice."

"You make it sound like you expect something to happen to me," Mido grumbled, but remained by the door anyway.

As I approached the fourth Poe, it backed away until I was stood on the lowered elevator and it was stood in the western gap between the torches. Then it shimmered and split into four identical images.

That didn't help it very much, as the passive search I'd had since emerging from the Temple of Time told me exactly which of them was the real one. After only five arrows shot at it, it gave up and dropped the flame, which floated up to the torch. As it re-lit, the wooden elevator came up underneath me.

Mido came to join me as I jumped down from there, already pulling out the map.

"Doesn't look like there's much left now," he told me, showing the only rooms left. "The one below here marked as 'round room', and then there's this skull marking."

"The boss room, if the previous dungeon maps are anything to go by," I identified that marking. "You'll want to come with me into there, otherwise I'll have to come back into the Temple to find you."

"Couldn't you just walk back out of the room again?" he said plaintively.

"Possible, but when I defeat the boss there's a shortcut you and I can take."

"But... what about Saria? We haven't seen her anywhere, and she's meant to be here?"

As he reminded me of her I started to suspect I knew who the Forest Sage was. It wasn't going to be easy to explain that to Mido, so I simply answered, "I'm sure we'll find out if we press on. Lets take that elevator down and finish up."

The elevator creaked and rumbled as it descended down the narrow stone chute, coming to rest gently on the floor of the 'round room' the map marked. I assumed since it had no apparent attachment to anything, like so many other things it functioned on magic alone.

The room looked different to the map's depiction of it. Where the map showed three alcoves and a short corridor leading to the Boss room, the real thing had bars through the northern narrow opening, blocking off out access to the corridor, more at the southern opening which showed a switch, and two massive stone protrusions on the east and west sides. The other two alcoves were blocked off.

"Floor," Mido's fairy said, flying over to one of the massive stones. We trooped over to see what she was on about.

"The floor is all scratched and scuffed here," Navi observed. "And I think..." she paused, flying over to the opposite one. "Here as well. On both sides. Silver, I think this is what 'round room' means – these things let you push the walls around the room to access the blocked off areas. They should hold the switches to remove the bars."

Rather than use my mind, I pushed hard against one of them with Mido's help. The stone grudgingly gave way, then came free from our grasp as it grated around a ways, then crunched to a stop. Now the two openings were in the northwest and southeast sides of the room, revealing a switch and a blank wall respectively.

Mido headed over to trigger the switch, causing the muffled sound of bars retracting to come from behind the still blocked eastern wall. We pushed the stones a second time, revealing a blank wall to the west and another switch east. That switch also triggered the same muffled sound, this time from the south.

Aligning the stones to show openings northeast and southwest just showed blank walls, so once more we pushed them around to show north and south. The south switch we'd seen before was no longer barred off, and triggering it removed the bars to the north. We could now progress to the Boss room, through the door that only the Boss Key would open. It seemed unusual to me, as no such key had been needed for the dungeons I'd gone through before, but maybe it was just because these were the Temples it was different.

In the boss room we had to ascend a spiralling staircase, ending at a broad, open area with another rope and post fence around the edge. The room was octagonal, with each wall holding an identical painting that appeared to show a path along a bleak landscape to a castle – what to me looked like the approach to what was now Hyrule Castle.

But besides this, there was nothing here. The door below had not become unusable when we passed through, and we were free to leave as we needed.

"Maybe we missed something?" Mido suggested nervously. "Something not marked on the map?"

"It's possible, I suppose, but there's only one area we didn't go to, and I don't think its all that necessary."

"Can't hurt to look, right?"

I couldn't argue with that, so headed for the opening where the stairs finished. As we approached however, spiked bars shot up out of the ground to trap us in here and there was a familiar presence behind me.

"Ganondorf!" I exclaimed, whirling around to see him astride the horse – which in turn stood astride... empty air.

"Guess again, you... whatever you are."

"Hedgehog," I supplied without thinking.

"Whatever. Ganondorf left me here to stop you from awakening the Forest Sage. She already came here, but she'll never awaken as a Sage because of me. Just like you'll never leave, because of me!"

"Says you," I snorted. "But if you're not him, who are you?"

"I... am merely a phantom," he replied, the head burning away to reveal an empty skull. The horse reared, then galloped through the empty air to enter into a purple portal. When it cleared the phantom was riding up the path in the painting.

"How did he do that?" Mido stared.

"I don't know, and I don't care," I responded, taking out my bow. "You can't hide from me, phantom," I told the empty room. I didn't reveal how as I set an arrow in place, stepping back to the middle of the room.

The phantom appeared in the paths of every painting then, but what it didn't realise was that I could still sense its presence. The real one was coming down the path of the eastern painting. I pretended not to know this, facing north with Mido safely on my left so anything the phantom did would go through me before reaching him, then as the portal opened I turned quickly and loosed the arrow. The phantom gave an angry cry, turning back into the painting and matching the other riders, riding back up the path. The sense of his presence moved to the southwestern painting now. I turned, scanning the paintings as if trying to tell from their appearance which one he was coming from. Mido kept to my left still, so when I stopped to face the southeast painting I was still shielding Mido from him. Again I waited until the portal started to open to turn and shoot him, causing another angry cry. This time as the riders started back up the path, the phantom was angrily shaking his fist at me.

"Back at you, fake," I muttered reorienting once again as the presence moved only one painting this time, coming at me from the western painting. This time I faced that painting with an arrow ready, but half-way down the path the presence shifted to behind me instead. I turned as the sound of the portal started, only just managing to shoot him in time. He still managed to emerge from the portal, but his horse started back into the painting, abandoning him.

"Damn you, hedgehog," he snarled at me, floating in the air with a long spear.

"Feeling's mutual, you ugly git," I retorted, quickly stowing the bow away to retrieve sword and shield. "Now come down here where I can get you – or should I come up there instead?"

"What are you _doing_?" Mido demanded from behind me, aghast at this.

"Trust me," I threw back over my shoulder. "And whatever you do, keep me between you and him."

The phantom caused a light-show around the spear, then dived down in a charge. I simply picked the two of us up and got us clear of that before he could react, keeping us safe from that attack. Thwarted, he held up his free hand to call a ball of energy to it, much like the real Ganondorf had just outside Hyrule Castle. When he threw it at me, rather than using my mind again I used the Master Sword, timing my slash so that it would return the energy back at the phantom.

It swiped with the spear, sending it back to me, and I repeated once again. After several more volleys he finally mis-timed his reaction and sank down with sparks skittering over his armour. Rather than approach him I relinquished my grip on the sword, taking hold with my mind and having it attack him seemingly on its own. To my surprise, Mido darted out from behind me to attack with the bone he still held as well. It was hard to tell if he had any effect compared to the sword, but that didn't seem to bother him.

As the phantom showed signs of getting back up I quickly picked him up and brought him back to safety along with my sword, not a moment too soon as the phantom slashed indiscriminately around him with his spear, then rose back up into the air again.

"Don't you ever do that to me again," I told Mido, keeping watch as the phantom summoned another ball of energy. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"I'm _not_ going to let you fight alone if I can help," he told me, but the slight quaver in his voice told me he was probably more terrified than his brave face suggested.

"Just... be careful, will you?" I grunted, flinging the ball back at the phantom again, then to the phantom, "If you ever see Ganondorf again, tell him he should take up tennis instead of world domination!"

In response to that it summoned a second ball of energy, causing me to have to work twice as hard to keep them both from harming either of us. However, it suffered similarly, and when I began employing my mind to help reflect them back he really had trouble until both of them hit him one-two, and he dropped down again.

This time I kept hold of the sword as I headed in to attack, Mido making a break past me to whack at the skull with his cudgel. Perhaps what amazed me the most there was not his sheer audacity in the face of terror, but if you can believe it, it was one of his strikes at the fallen phantom that finished it off! I dragged us quickly clear of the rapidly disintegrating phantom.

"What a useless puppet!" Ganondorf's voice sounded. "Well, it served its purpose. You won't be finding me such a pushover, hedgehog! Now... I will banish this trash to another realm!"

A portal appeared on the floor below the phantom, made out of black squares and red lines – at the time this meant nothing to me, but now I know it was a portal to the Twilight Realm. I wonder what happened to it there, since it was already disintegrating even as it was sucked in. Maybe its remains gave Zant the idea for his holograms?

Whatever happened to it, once it had been sucked into the portal, the portal faded away leaving the familiar blue portal in its place.

"Did we... win?" Mido asked in a quiet voice.

"You bet we did," I told him. "Thanks for helping, Mido."

"Just don't tell anyone how scared I was," he murmured, throwing the bone away.

"Our secret," I laughed, stepping into the portal with him.


	29. The Other Hero

As the blue light faded I found myself once again in the Chamber of Sages in the Temple of Light, Mido gently descending beside me to land on the central Triforce. This time I faced not the bright yellow Rauru had stood on, but the green design of the Forest Sage, who even as we landed rose up out of the design to stand on top of it.

"Mido?" Saria said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Well you didn't expect me to let Silver past me without watching him, did you?" he replied. "You _did_ tell me not to let anyone pass, but he was insistent he had to go to the Forest Temple after you."

"So he tagged along to make sure I behaved myself," I finished. "You know, somehow I'm not surprised to find you're the Forest Sage, Saria. I had a feeling you were different the first time I touched on your mind."

"I didn't know until I felt the spirits in the temple calling to me," she admitted. "But thanks to you, now I can awaken as a sage. Mido... I have to stay here to help Silver in his quest. He has only awakened two of us so far, and has four more to reach. I can't come back to the forest, not yet... but when he's done, I'll be back. Tell everyone not to worry about me, will you?"

"I'll tell them," he promised. "And I'll tell them you saved her, Silver," he went on. "Because it sounds like you did. But if you don't come back from this quest of yours..."

"Don't worry about me," I told him. "I'll be fine. After all, I'm the Hero of Time."

"And the Hero of Time should take this with him," Saria added, throwing her arms skyward. A green flash appeared above us, then just like Rauru had for the Light Medallion, the matching Forest one descended into my hands. I caught it, then my view started to turn white. "Remember," Saria's voice came. "Saria will always be your friend."

* * *

As the blue light faded, Mido and I descended into the grove around the dead Great Deku Tree, landing lightly on the ground. The entrance inside had closed up, but what caught our attention more was a little twig growing out of the ground in front with two small, green leaves.

Mido and I shared a look, then he edged closer to find out more. As he stepped near though, the twig shook, then burst up out of the ground, now growing out of the top of what looked like a mini-tree trunk, two similar twigs sticking out of the sides like arms. It had a face on it, etched in darker bark and younger, but still a face.

Mido stumbled back, startled, then jumped back again as it spoke in a piping voice, "Hi there! I'm the Deku Tree Sprout!"

Mido stared at it. "You're – wait, how come you're only just sprouting now?"

"I couldn't – when the Great Deku Tree died, the spirits got into the Forest Temple. But now you've banished them, I can grow to take over from him and protect the forest, just like he did! Oh, and I've got a message for you, Silver."

Now it was my turn to be surprised. "For me? But how?"

"I remember everything the Great Deku Tree does – it's how all we Deku Trees gain wisdom and knowledge. We pass it on to each new sprout, so nothing is ever lost."

"Convenient. What's the message, and who's it from?"

"Me – well, the Great Deku Tree. He knew this would happen, so left it for me to give you. He says you've done well and not to be discouraged because you let Ganondorf into the Sacred Realm. It had to be done so he could be properly banished according to the prophecy. I can't tell you what else the prophecy says though, it's not safe. I also have to tell you, when you next see Princess Zelda, tell her what she seeks is at the desert at the end of the world. I'd tell her myself, but..."

"But you don't exactly move around. I'll tell her. I have a feeling I'll be seeing her soon anyway."

"You're leaving the forest again then?" Mido asked.

"I have to. There are four more Temples I have to go to, and four more Sages to awaken before I can take on Ganondorf. Once I defeat him... everything will be the way it should be again."

"When will you be coming back?"

"Whenever I have to – or whenever I want to see my friends again. Don't worry, Mido – I haven't forgotten what you said. Once all this is over with, I'll teach you a bit."

"You mean-" he broke off, eyes widening. "I know I insisted, but... I never through you'd actually do it..."

"Of course I will. Gotta make sure someone around here can fill in for me when I'm away, haven't I? Until then, you keep on taking care of the forest, won't you? I've got a whole world to go and save."

Mido didn't answer. I really think he'd expected me to come up with an excuse to get out of it, rather than just give in.

As I made my way back out into Kokiri Forest I noticed the monsters had already vanished thanks to the protection of the newly sprouted Deku Tree, and the Kokiri were already emerging back out from their homes. Word appeared to have spread already about me, and I was forced several times to stop to re-tell what had happened when I left the forest. I still didn't like having to tell the same lie about it, but it was convenient, and technically not too far from the truth really. It was just a difference in when it had happened and why.

Eventually though Mido stepped in letting me get on my way again, back to his usual self in no time with no hint of the real attitude I'd gotten to see in the Forest Temple, broken only once when he gave me a sly wink as I finally left.

Epona, of course, waited for me just outside the forest entrance, pausing in her grazing to watch me as I emerged from the hollow log tunnel, quickly finishing her mouthful and turning toward the field without prompting.

I let her set her own pace as we rode back out on to Hyrule Field, considering my options. Zelda, as Sheik, had listed the Temples in a certain order, and I had a feeling I had to pursue them in that order. That meant the next Temple was likely to be inside Death Mountain somewhere, and that meant going back to Kakariko Village once again.

After her confirmation that the Temple of Time worked both ways though, there was a curiosity I wanted to settle. It still meant going to Kakariko Village first, but after that I needed to head back in time – and that meant she would teach me the song she'd promised that would bring me there by music and magic.

When we arrived in Kakariko I once again paid the stable hand to take care of Epona for me, noting that this time I didn't get such a suspicious look. After I offered to set up an account, paying in advance for any future visits here, he became far more friendly.

The townsfolk still gave me the odd curious and sometimes wary look, but since the sight of me was no longer a novelty it was more tolerable than last time. I made my way for the windmill at the top of town, out of habit sending my mind wandering through the town to find anyone familiar.

Notably this time, Scourge was not present. I even searched the graveyard beyond and a ways up the Death Mountain trail, but there was no sign of him. On the other hand, the malevolent presence I'd felt last time was still here, and seemed stronger than it had before – and now it seemed curious as well, and I felt it reach back out to me.

Now I'm used to reaching out to other minds and not having to worry about the reverse, but when I'd learned to do that I'd also learned to take precautions to make sure I didn't leave myself vulnerable in doing so, protecting my own mind.

The presence felt around that, trying to find a weak spot to reach in, then when it found none it paused for a moment. I brought my mind back, strengthening my defences just in case, then the full force of this immense presence assaulted me, pushing with a pressure that had my power not matured with me, I would have been hard-pressed to hold off.

Then as suddenly as it had started, it stopped – and I got a momentary vision of a creature. Two disembodied black hands between them a similarly dark form that reached down out of darkness, arms reaching out toward the hands and in place of a head, a single burning red eye.

_"We will meet,"_ a voice sounded in my head. _"And in that meeting, thou shalt certainly perish, lost to the shadow realm."_

Then its presence was gone from my mind. I could still feel it, just as I had before, but it was no longer interested in me.

Shaken, I continued on to the windmill. Somehow I'd managed to get through the entire assault without attracting any attention from the townsfolk, but the sheer force of that presence had been nearly overwhelming. If it attacked again without warning... I didn't want to think about that possibility.

I put the entire incident from my mind, though I did not let go of my mental defences, just in case it decided to attack again, then entered the windmill. Inside was only one Hylian, turning a handle on a small box causing it to play a tune.

"Can I bother you a moment?" I asked him.

"Oh? The little hedgehog again?" I'd met him before, when I asked about the well being dry. It had been him who'd told me about the 'strange song' I had apparently played seven years prior. "What can I do for you this time?"

"It's just a little curiosity," I admitted. "You said this boy played a song, right?"

"That's right," he answered, his expression turning flat and hard. "It made the windmill go too fast, and dried up the well."

"I wonder, would you mind teaching me the song? Not that I'm going to play it here," I reassured him. "But I think it might be helpful in trying to find a way to undo what the boy did." It was a blatant lie – I was going to use it to do the very thing he was busy cursing me for, but I couldn't tell him that. I had to do it though – I know too well what happens when you don't do something you know has already happened. Time isn't a sensible place to be playing around if you're not aware of the consequences of your actions.

He taught me the song, which I memorised instead of playing it there and then. I didn't want him to be angry at me here in the future as well as the Hylian boy I was in the past. Once was going to be bad enough, I reasoned.

The song learned, I used Farore's Wind for the first time in the future to teleport back to the entrance of Kakariko, where I paused to reassure Epona I'd be back soon, then headed out onto the field and used it again to reach the entrance of the ruined Castle Town.

Redeads infested the market square again, but treating them the same as I had last time meant they were no longer anything to be afraid of – at least here in the future. I wasn't certain I could achieve the same effect with the comparatively limited power I had in the past, but I figured I wasn't likely to see too many of them back then.

Interestingly, Zelda – still as Sheik, of course – waited for me just inside the Temple of Time.

"You shouldn't have been waiting for me," I said before she got in a word. "If a word of the secret gets out... I've got a message for you from the Deku Tree Sprout, by the way. He says what you're looking for is in the desert at the end of the world."

"I had thought it would be," she said. "But confirmation is good all the same. Now I have something to ask of you, Silver – in exchange for doing this, I will teach you the Prelude of Light, which will bring you here whenever you play it. Agreed?"

"Of course. What do you need me to do?"

"I have learned of another Hero, not abroad in Hyrule at this time, but who will arrive in due time long after you have completed your tasks here. He will benefit from learning the skills you develop with your sword, but the goddesses have asked that you teach them only after you have defeated Ganondorf, in the last time you use the Temple of Time to return to your time."

"Sounds simple enough. What skills should I teach?"

"The Goddesses will let you know at that time – but before then, you must first meet this Hero. You will know him, but you cannot show that. You must take the name Link, and the image you once had in the past, aged to adulthood to match you here. Only within the Temple of Time will you appear to be this Hylian – and in the past, you will still remain a child, the Temple itself restoring your image should it ever be lost."

That explained why the image had returned to me when I'd first entered it. I could use the Temple of Time effectively as a kind of repair tool for the child-image.

"When will I meet him – and how?"

"Soon, Silver. When I teach you the Prelude of Light I will have to leave so he does not meet me. Playing the song as you learn it will clothe you in the adult form you need. The door outside will show another place, but you must not step through. Either return to the past, or wait for it to fade before you go anywhere, even by magic or song. Tell him nothing of your real identity, Silver, only that the way ahead will open when he repeats the steps taken to enter this past Temple of Time."

I just nodded, agreeing. It seemed strange, but in this Temple strange things happened often.

She taught me the song, a Deku Nut in hand so she could make good her exit before the next Hero turned up, then as I re-played the song back to her the typical flash happened and I became the adult Hylian I assumed the child image would have grown up to be. Zelda of course vanished, and the doorway changed, becoming a shimmering, distorted image. On the other side I could see grassy ruins in black and white, but nothing else.

From the other side I heard voices.

"Get clear of them!" one snapped, distorted like the image. "Unless you plan to help!"

"Not a word, Navi," I murmured. "Let our Hero enter the Temple of Time before we let him knew we're here."

She nodded, and I headed behind the pillar at the doorway, out of sight to listen.

Sounds of fighting came through along with slight grunts emphasising what I assumed were attacks, then after a delay the distorted voice spoke again, "And that's how you fight them."

"When did you get that skilled with a sword?" a second voice, similarly distorted, came through. "When did you get a sword, for that matter?"

"Oh, I picked them up on the way," the first answered. "Why don't we see what's changed?"

"Leave that to me – I looked about a bit earlier," the second said.

There was a quiet moment, then the first voice, as if answering an unheard voice remarked, "I'm starting to think it's more than just coincidence they're here, and at times they're going to be useful." Then another delay, followed by, "Maybe."

"I found it," the second voice announced, sounding much closer. "There's a statue up here that's vanished, and a door behind it."

"Wait for me to come on up and we'll see what's on the other side," the first called back.

I waited patiently behind that pillar, not daring to reach through with my mind in case they could sense it, or if it would miss entirely and try to find outside my time instead of theirs.

With a faint sucking sound two figures entered my Temple of Time – and as Zelda had warned me, I recognised one of them. The familiar form of Tails, wearing the same kind of clothes as I did but with chainmail underneath and a few other adornments I didn't have, entered the Temple of Time, looking around cautiously with the green hawk Jet at his side, clutching an extreme gear.

"Don't try to take them," Tails warned Jet. "Something strange is going on here."

"Nothing strange," I told them. "Welcome to the Temple of Time, Tails."

The little fox turned quickly, his hand instinctively jumping toward the hilt of the same Master Sword I had, but lowering again when he apparently recognised me. I guessed for him, I must have already taught him a few skills as the goddesses request, so he knew me already.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking curious.

"The door you just came through has taken you to a different time – a time when I'm still around, obviously. To you, you've probably met me before, to me, I only know I'm going to meet you again to teach you."

"So you can help?" Tails asked, brightening.

I shook my head though and answered, "No. I used this temple to fight off evil once before. Unlike the other temples I'd been to, I fought no enemies, solved no puzzles. It was more of a useful tool at the time. I was never allowed to, and still cannot, enter the temple proper. It is hidden from me, and even if you discover it, I can't follow." Alright, so I was making up a lot of it – to him I'd already done all this, so I was working with the limited knowledge of what I'd done and learned so far. Surprisingly accurate all the same though.

Tails understood perfectly. "You're here just to meet me then."

"Of course. I have to meet you so I know you when I next meet you – which is the time you first meet me." Then I recalled what Zelda had said, and went on, "I also have to tell you that the way ahead will open when you repeat the steps that gained you entry to this past Temple of Time."

"I think I know what I have to do then," he said, glancing through the open Door of Time to the pedestal beyond.

"There's something I have to attend to there as well," I told him. "Let me take care of that first."

"Of course."

So I led the way, feeling oddly out of place, looking like a Hylian instead of being myself the way they were, and slightly envious – why did he get to go around without hiding himself the way I had to? Alright, so it was only in the past, here in this future I didn't, but still...

For that matter, how had Tails and Jet reached Hyrule? I couldn't have pulled them into it too, not since Zelda told me he was a future Hero.

Tails and Jet stood clear of the raised area with all the designs, similar to the Chamber of Sages but without the colour, watching as I set the Master Sword back into the Pedestal of Time. The familiar blue light shot up around me, obscuring my view. Two silhouettes were shadowed against it where they stood, then faded as my view turned white a moment.

That cleared, and I was back, the Master Sword suddenly seeming much larger before me. I looked myself over and saw the young Hylian boy again. Tails and Jet had gone, and light once again streamed through all the windows of the Temple of Time. Now I had some errands to run here in the present before I went back to the future.


	30. The Dead Truth

The Temple of Time appeared not to preserve any sense of time. When I exited out to the gardens just behind the market, it was still the same rainy late evening it had been when I'd taken the Master Sword out of its resting place. Everything I'd done in seven years time – I know that sounds weird, but that's what you get for playing with two different time periods – had been compressed into a single moment as far as 'now' was concerned.

On the other hand, having travelled forward in time and now back again as well, I was well rested this time, rather than being as weary as I had been before, putting off sleep to try to protect the Triforce. This was going to play havoc with getting any decent sleep if I wasn't careful, but that was really just a secondary matter right now.

Since I knew the effects of magical transport on the restored child image, I decided it wouldn't hurt to take a walk through town over to Kakariko. If nothing else because I had plenty of time to spare now – everything I had to worry about would take place over the next seven years.

It was strange again, walking through the market. I never really got over that, having seen it bustling with life, then a dead, empty shell. There were only a few very determined merchants hawking their wares to the last few folk around despite the downpour. They did however completely ignore me. I guess they thought I was too young.

When I reached the gate I realised I had a slight problem. The gate here was still closed every night, where in seven years time, it had been broken to allow access anytime. I gave a quick look about to make sure no one was watching, then flew up and over back on to Hyrule Field.

Stalchildren occasionally burst out of the ground once again, trying to attack me, but I treated these the same as I had the Stalfos in the future. It took me a few attempts to mimic the effect properly, but they kept coming so I had plenty of practise. I definitely felt the loss of the boosts I got with my matured powers though. I had thought these kinds of things easy before, after experiencing that they all seemed harder again instead.

When I got close to Kakariko I still had time to spare, so I made use of a nearby tree to take a quick nap, while I was there satisfying another curiosity. I sent my mind wandering up into the village, searching out one specific presence – the one who had threatened me in the future.

But try as I might, the presence was not there. I even reached down beneath Kakariko to where the actual mind behind it had been, but again I found nothing. This wasn't the sort of thing I could ask the townsfolk about, but it definitely got me wondering. When had such an ancient being found its way into the village, and why was it there?

If I knew where Impa was I could have asked her – she had mentioned it was her village, after all. But here in the present, she and Zelda were in hiding from Ganondorf. It wouldn't be a good idea to reveal her location too soon, otherwise she'd never be able to appear as Sheik – and all that follows from that could never happen. Aren't paradoxes fun?

When morning finally dawned, marked by an exceptionally loud crow from Lon Lon Ranch that reached even here, I headed up into Kakariko. There would have been no point in waking the windmill's owner just to annoy him with the song in the middle of the night.

He was there when I went into the windmill of course, and he had no idea what I was about to do. I did feel a bit guilty about it, but it did have to happen, after all.

"Say kid, this isn't any place to be hanging around," he warned me.

"That's alright," I replied. "I'm not staying for long. There's just something I've been told to do here."

As I took out the ocarina – well, one of them, I forget exactly which – he looked on curiously. "A song? What for when I've got this music box?" he asked, gesturing it. He turned the handle and it played a few off-key bars, ironically of the same song he'd taught me in the future.

"Maybe so you can re-tune that? I don't know, I'm just doing what Ganondorf told me," I lied with sudden inspiration. Maybe I could shift his anger to Ganondorf if he thought the Gerudo thief was responsible.

Then I played the song, not knowing what would happen exactly since I'd not played it when I learned it, and he – or his future self, at least – had not told me what was about to happen.

The sound of a storm came from outside with another downpour, followed by strong winds. The mechanism inside the windmill started turning faster, much to his surprise.

"It shouldn't be doing that," he remarked. "It's going much too fast."

"I... didn't know it was going to happen. I was just doing what I was told," I insisted. He didn't seem angry – yet. "I'll go see what's happening outside," I added quickly, avoiding the rapidly turning machinery to get outside. Sure enough there was a howling wind blowing through the windmill's sails and a similarly lashing rain. As I watched, the well drained, clearing up the mystery of how in the future it had dried up.

This appeared to be the only way underneath the village, and I was still trying to understand why the presence wasn't here in the past, or to get some idea of what it was doing there, so while everyone else took shelter from the storm I dropped down the well to investigate.

After crawling through a small hole at the bottom I found myself in a short corridor with a big Skulltula that looked even bigger now I was younger again, several rocks and a skeleton – a skeleton that seemed to have a presence of its own about it.

I quickly dealt with the Skulltula then cautiously reached out to the skeleton's presence.

_"Look thou for the eye of truth, that illusion shall be removed from thy sight and that which lays hidden may be revealed."_

It was a different voice to the one that had threatened me, but I heard it the same way.

"Navi-" I started.

"I heard it too," She cut me off. "I felt you reach out so I did the same."

"What's this eye of truth it talks about?"

"I remember the Great Deku Tree saying something once about a Hylian who had trained his eye to see the truth after a lot of work, then found a way to duplicate that effect in the form of an item so anyone could do it. Maybe it's telling us to look for that."

"I guess it's possible, but where to look?

The skeleton's presence spoke again, _"Seek the eye through yon wall, for it is but an illusion with no substance. Be not afeared of the restless dead beyond, but keep thy wits about thee and exercise caution and thou shalt find it."_

"As long as I don't have to get too close to any Redeads," I muttered. I couldn't simply explode them like I had in the future. The wall before us looked completely solid, but after feeling carefully around it I found the opening, stepping through the illusion. It looked just as solid from the other side, but it was only an illusion. A very good one all the same.

On the other side was a corridor stretching off to either side with a river running through it, opposite me an area with decaying remains – not of anything living, fortunately. Right in front of me, supplied by the river, was a pool of water with a chest at the bottom.

"I wonder if I could train my mind to find the truth," Navi mused. "It might let me detect illusions like that. Sort of like feeling the shape of a room, wouldn't you say?"

"Theoretically possible," I admitted. "But what you're thinking of is very different to what you've done so far. We've both focused on looking for the energy that marks life, using your mind to feel the shape of things that aren't alive is very different. I did try it once, but I wasn't very good at it."

"But you know how it's done?"

"I know the basics of it. I'll teach you what I remember, but you'll have to work on it on your own after that."

There wasn't actually too much to tell. I won't go too much into the details, since unless you can do it yourself it won't really mean anything to you. Remarkably, Navi grasped the theory better than I had and as a Green Bubble wandered past completely ignoring us, she even started to put it into practise. She wasn't very good at it just yet, but she could at least detect the illusion we'd just passed through.

Once that impromptu lesson had been covered I followed the Green Bubble. It had come from the west passage and gone right, so I warily followed, keeping to the stones on either side of the flowing water as I'd noticed it had hovered just above it. It turned northwards after a time, and as Navi started to get to grips with her new ability she suggested that this might be a square ring. It was uncertain to be sure, but she had only just learned it.

Along the way we passed a barred off area with no immediately apparent exit that had a chest inside and a small tunnel opening in the north wall. If I could find the corresponding entrance at the other end, I could find it.

There was another alcove at the end of the northbound part, all walls and nothing else. Before I got close enough to feel the walls for any illusions again, something invisible sent me flying.

"Sorry," Navi apologised. "I wasn't looking out for monsters. There's an invisible giant Skulltula there."

"I wonder if I can still attack it while its invisible?" I wondered, stepping back to allow the Green Bubble to pass again. I edged close to where she estimated it to be until I heard the sound of it dropping down, then oriented on that with the slingshot, loading a seed into it. When I heard the sound of it turning around I loosed the seed, nocking another ready as I knew here in the past it would take two hits of most things.

I waited again, listening to its movements as it recoiled back from the blow, drawing itself upwards, then back down again, and finally turning in place for me to shoot its vulnerable, if unseen, belly.

Very suddenly the Skulltula appeared seemingly out of nowhere, dropping to the ground dead.

"Silver," Navi said then. "Over there, in the water – isn't that the royal family's crest?"

I wandered over, again having to step out the way for the Green Bubble to pass. This time I hurled the boomerang after it, followed by another seed from the slingshot to defeat it so I wouldn't have to keep worrying about it.

The crest had always before meant playing Zelda's lullaby, so I did so – and the water level, for reasons I couldn't immediately see, dropped, disappearing entirely.

I followed the ring around from there, pausing again when Navi warned of another invisible Skulltula and also a hole in the floor hidden by an illusion. She wasn't entirely certain where the hole was, but the warning was enough; I would watch my step over here.

Once it was out the way and we were past where she suspected the hole was, we continued on following the ring southwards, past another alcove in the southwestern corner that had a locked door in, back to where we had started. The chest here held a supply of bombs, but now there was also a tunnel here, washed out when the water had drained.

In the small room beyond there was another Skulltula, though how it had gotten here – or breathed while underwater for that matter – was a mystery. It wasn't invisible, so was slightly easier to defeat, then I went through the door into a large dirt cavern that had a number of white hands on long, spindly white arms.

"Dead Hand," Navi whispered.

"They don't look dead to me."

"No, that's what its called. They're all part of one creature called a Dead Hand. Get close to a hand and let it grab you to lure out the main creature itself, then wait for that to get close so it lowers its head and attack." She paused, then added, "Not that I expect you'll do that. Knowing you, you'll come up with some ingenious solution."

"Naturally. These hands don't have eyes or ears, so they must sense the presence of a mind, much like we do. But a mind isn't a solid object, so it'll grasp at nothing. If we put something there for it to hold, then use our minds to make it think its got hold of me, we can lure out the Dead Hand, and I can attack from a safe distance by using my mind to hold my sword."

"Couldn't you just create a barrier? Like you did in the Forest Temple for the Wallmasters?"

"I could, but it'd mean I'd be doing more. Besides-" I stopped, crouching at the dirt floor to scrape it together. It was just damp enough to be malleable but still solid. After a few moments I held up the ball of dirt. "Looks sort of the same size as my head, wouldn't you say?"

"Probably – unless we're counting your ego," she teased.

Since I would be taking hold of the 'head' with my mind anyway, as far as the Dead Hand was concerned it would really have a head. It would detect my mind, and hold onto the dirt, hopefully unable to tell the difference.

Holding both it and my sword separately was another thing I wasn't as good at as I thought, not since I needed to control both carefully. I guided the 'head' toward one of the hands further away in an attempt to get the Dead Hand to surface away from me, nudging it slightly. The long arm bent, the hand reaching around for it, so I obligingly put it just in reach.

The Dead Hand surfaced over to my right, thankfully not too close to me. It looked like a white sack with red splotches over it, a hideous, empty-eyed face grinning out of it. The arms cut off to rounded stumps, unlike the real hands scattered around the room.

It kept its head held upward on the long neck as it shuffled across the room. I made the 'head' struggle a bit so it wouldn't get suspicious, then sent the sword up to attack the Dead Hand's head while it was still shuffling along.

A nearby hand appeared to catch on to the deception, reaching out for me but I had carefully placed myself so I was out of reach of the nearest two. Unfortunately the hands were part of the Dead Hand, and that meant all the hands and the Dead Hand itself now knew that it did not hold me and where I really was. The Dead Hand descended into the ground to avoid harm, and once I'd oriented on its presence I knew it was trying to reach me.

I quickly ran through my options. My deception was useless now. The hands knew where I really was, so there was no point trying to get out of that again. They had considerable reach, but as long as I stayed out of their range it would be difficult for them to get me.

That meant the Dead Hand would never resurface though, and I needed that to defeat it. But if it was trying to reach me anyway... I waited very nervously, feeling its presence come closer – then stop. It was right underneath me, but it wouldn't come out. I moved, and so did it.

Maybe my deception still had some use. I floated up slightly, leaving my mind just below me, then above the reach of the hands I headed over to the other side of the room again. The Dead Hand didn't follow. I'd tricked it again!

But now of course, I had to lure it out. It would be alert for the original trick by now... wouldn't it? Once again I lifted up the ball of dirt and sent it over to the mind the Dead Hand thought was me, then guided the two of them close to one of the hands. The Dead Hand followed, slower than it even underground, but that was what I wanted. The hand reached down and took hold, the Dead Hand surfaced, and the sword was quickly sent to attack it again.

Too late it realised it had been fooled again and with one last blow stabbing into the top of its head, it seemed to deflate, melting away as the hands around the room retracted. A large chest appeared in the middle of the room with a swirl of light.

"I would never have thought of that," Navi admitted. "I thought you were going to have to let it grab you for a moment there."

"I almost did too," I agreed, opening the chest to find what appeared to be a purple magnifying glass with a similar lens to it. "I wonder if this is the 'eye of truth' the skeleton's spirit mentioned?"

"Well, we could head back up there and look through it," Navi suggested. "If you can't see the fake wall through it, then it works."

"Then I think we'll get out of here," I added. "This place is somehow chilling. Dead creatures and remains everywhere, and these illusions too... it's unsettling."

"You're not afraid, are you?"

"I didn't say that. I just... don't like it here. It's like a graveyard come to life."

We squeezed back through the tunnel to come back out where we'd emerged, then once I'd got up out of the pit that had held water in before, I turned the lens toward the opening and looked through. Sure enough, where the lens was, the illusion was not.

I looked around further and found there were several more hidden openings, revealing rooms I hadn't before, but I decided I'd played with the dead enough for one day and headed back outside anyway.

"What if there's something else we need here?" Navi asked on the way.

"Then we'll come back for it. Right now I think this is all we need, so lets head back to the Temple of Time and head forward seven years."

"I wonder if the teleport songs work here too?" she wondered.

"One way to find out," I replied, taking out the Ocarina of Time and playing the Prelude of Light. Since the Temple of Time would repair the image, I figured this at least would be safe. The image did flicker slightly as a flash of bright yellow light temporarily obscured my sight, but when it cleared I was on the design in the entrance of the Temple of Time, the image still about me. As far as the Hyrule of the present was concerned, I was still a Hylian child.


	31. Unwanted Companion

Rather oddly, when returning to the future there was at least some sense of time preserved. I always returned to the present at the same moment I left, if not just moments later, but it didn't hold true the other way.

The shimmering barrier still filled the door of the future Temple of Time, showing a part of Tails' Hyrule beyond it. I was tempted to go through and have a look, but Sheik had warned against it. For now at least I'd have to wait for it to fade.

Since I had to wait anyway, I took some time to think over what was coming. Four temples, none of which in appealing sounding locations and probably just as long and strange as the Forest Temple had been, no doubt a whole realm of various useful tools an items – a trend that I had started to recognise by now, having found something useful in every dungeon so far – and then topping it off with Ganondorf, King of Evil.

I'd only felt his presence once when Zelda had made her escape from Hyrule Castle, and here in the future so far I'd only encountered the phantom Ganondorf he'd left behind. That he had power to banish its remains to another realm suggested he likely had even more power than he had before.

This did not exactly fill me with confidence, to say the least. I would have preferred to find a way to seal the door again an undo the original mistake somehow, but that option wasn't open to me.

"Silver," Navi murmured, attracting my attention. Over in the room with the pedestal a stream of black tiles was flickering down with an oddly musical sound forming into Tails and Jet.

"About time," I murmured to myself. "I was starting to think they'd keep me waiting for a few days." I checked briefly to make sure I still looked like an adult Hylian, then went to meet them as they passed the altar. "I assume you were successful?" I asked, not that I needed to really.

"Of course," Tails replied confidently. "I'm a Hero of the Goddesses. I can't lose."

"Don't get overconfident," I warned him.

"I won't. What are you doing here again?" he asked curiously.

I couldn't tell him too much, so I worked off what I'd been thinking of – facing Ganondorf. "I have to face my destiny," I said with a reluctance I felt strongly. "I'm not looking forward to it."

"What do you mean?"

"The reason the gods chose me," I explained, though that was based off his own 'Hero of the Goddesses'. I had no idea if they had chosen me at all, I just happened to be worthy of the title Hero of Time. "And why I'm here, Tails," I went on. "The final battle I'll do here. I don't know if I'm going to win or not."

Tails didn't hesitate to answer, "Of course you are! You can't lose either, and you've got another reason!"

Another reason? What logic did he get this from? Curiosity raised, I asked, "And that is?"

"Well obviously if you were going to lose, the Hyrule I know would probably be a lot darker, evil and stuff like that," he answered as if it was plainly obvious. "So since Hyrule's Goddesses are still in power in Hyrule, it stands to reason that you didn't lose – so you can't lose!"

"That hasn't happened for me yet, Tails," I protested.

"Nope, but it will," he said brightly. "Go on – go defeat your big evil dude. You'll win, I know it."

His confidence in me was touching, though I'm not sure 'big evil dude' is a good way to describe Ganondorf. Ugly spit roast maybe – but that comes later.

Navi, for the first time, made her own appearance in front of Tails, having kept out of sight before.

"You ought to listen to him, Link," she told me, using the assumed name so he wouldn't notice. "He's right."

"I know," I said simply. "Thank you – both of you. You ought to leave and go back to your own time first though Tails."

He nodded, turning to leave. As Jet passed through the door, Tails paused, turned back and gave me a last word on the matter. "What is it the light spirits said to me?" he paused, then continued, "Oh, I remember now. May the way of the Hero lead you to victory," he told me, then he too left. The shimmering flickered and faded out after him, leaving me safe to leave.

"The way of the Hero, huh? Can't hurt to find out what that is."

"I don't think you need to. You're already a Hero, and the way you're going it could become an example for future heroes like him to follow. Who knows – maybe you'll become a local legend."

"A Hylian Hedgehog Hero," I laughed. "Stranger things have happened to me."

"Like playing tennis with a phantom Ganondorf?" she suggested. "We ought to get moving too, you know."

"Right. Next stop, Death Mountain. Lets go pay a visit on our sworn brothers."

I discovered there were some limitations to Farore's Wind – it didn't work in the Temple of Time, and from just outside it would only take me to the broken drawbridge – on the market side. To go any further I actually had to go out on to Hyrule Field and use it again, where after a few experimental hops around, I found it wouldn't go into any of the areas there – only to the entrances. I found the entrance to Ganondorf's homeland, Gerudo Valley to the far west of the field and in the southwest the land entrance to Lake Hylia. There was no limit to how far I could go with Farore's Wind, heading back to Kakariko at the other side of the field in one trip – just as long as I didn't try to go directly into Kakariko itself.

While it was late in the day, my trips through time had still left me with plenty of energy to spare, so while the locals were shutting up shops and going home, I continued right through the village up to the start of the Death Mountain trail. Out of habit I checked the village, though there was nothing remarkable about it – the presence beneath the village was still there, patient and malevolent as always.

Scourge was still strangely missing though. When I mentioned this to Navi, she said, "Maybe he's gone to see Ganondorf, like he said he would."

"I wouldn't put it past him," I admitted. "But I don't think it'll make any difference. I'll be able to feel him coming, so if he comes for me early I'll just find a way out of it. Scourge wouldn't dare face me on his own, not knowing what I could do to him."

"I think you're underestimating him," Navi replied. "I got the feeling his reaction when you threatened him here was just an act."

"Either way, he's not going to be much of a threat," I said, turning the corner at the top of the trail to start up the mountain proper. The Tektites were still here, though fewer in number, and now hid between large rocks along the trail. Occasionally a larger, more rounded rock would crash down the trail towards us.

Since we were out of sight of the village though I decided not to risk myself with those rocks and once again floated up – not just up and over them, I headed up until I could pick up the trail again not far from where the trail branched up to the peak of Death Mountain, where Biggoron lived.

"I wonder if Biggoron's finished with my sword," I mused absently as we landed safely on the trail.

"That's if he's still there," Navi said, sounding concerned. "Silver, search the city with your mind and tell me what you find."

Puzzled, I did just that. I knew where to find it from here, quickly running through it. I found only two Gorons there – Medigoron, who I identified by his location, and another Goron rolling around the city I didn't recognise – though was faintly familiar all the same. Maybe I'd met someone related to him.

"Empty?" I asked. "Except for two Gorons."

"Ganondorf must have gotten back at them for not giving him the Spiritual Stone," Navi said.

"Medigoron is still there. He's always a good source of Goron gossip. We'll ask him what happened, and if his brother is alright too."

"You'll be too late to do anything if you do that," Scourge's distinctive voice came from behind me. He was sat on a nearby rock, looking for all the world like he'd been there all along – and like the Hylian child still.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Do I look like your personal news reporter?" he answered.

"Don't make yourself useful then," I shrugged, heading off to Goron City.

"Oh, I am," he said, getting up to fall into step beside me. "Just not to you. Ganondorf – remember him, don't you? – decided he wasn't gonna let you roam free around his empire, so told me to stick around and keep an eye on you. I'm gonna be as close to you as your own shadow."

"We'll see about that," I replied, waving a hand absently to emphasise the effect in my mind. Nothing happened.

"Something wrong, hedgehog boy?" Scourge said nastily. I tried again, this time with enough force that he should take a nice long flight to the far side of the world. Still nothing happened, except for Scourge to grin broadly. "Oh, did I forget to mention?" he said with a devilish grin. "Ganondorf found a way to make me totally immune to those psychokinetic powers of yours. Just me mind – you can do anything you want otherwise, but you can't touch me."

"Oh, really?" I said. Without hesitating, I reached up, unsheathed the Master Sword and slammed the flat of it into his chest, emphasising the blow by putting considerably mental force behind it. Not on to him, but onto the blade. The breath whooshed out of him as he was knocked back from the blow, sent tumbling quite a ways down the mountainside.

In moments though a green blur appeared to deposit him back by my side again.

"Nice try, hedgehog boy," he grunted, wincing as he touched a hand to a sore spot. "But you aren't getting rid of me that easily."

I didn't dignify that with a response, stopping just inside Goron city. Gone were the sounds of Gorons chattering or digging. Only the faint rumble of lava from some cavern somewhere and the sound of one small Goron rolling around a lower level filled the cavern now. It confirmed what my mind had told me.

In a further attempt to rid myself of Scourge I concealed my reaching for Farore's Wind, appearing on the surface to be in thought as I surveyed the city. I knew where Medigoron's forge was, and I was gambling Scourge did not, teleporting directly there.

"Hush," I whispered quickly to the startled Goron. "I'll explain in a moment."

From outside there was silence except for the rolling Goron, then Scourge's voice burst out, "C'mon, play fair Silver!"

"Silver?" Medigoron rumbled quietly. "Weren't you..."

"Yeah, I know I look different," I said. "It's still me though."

"Is that voice a friend of yours?"

"As if," I snorted. "Ganondorf tacked him to my backside because he wants to know what I'm doing. I don't need him around while I'm busy trying to save the world from Ganondorf and help everyone at the same time though, so I'm doing my best to get rid of him."

"You came at a fortuitous time then. Ganondorf came by here just days ago and took all the Gorons, even big brother Darunia, to the Fire Temple in Death Mountain's crater. He said he was going to feed them all to the legendary fire dragon Volvagia."

"I can't be having with that," I said disapprovingly. "Looks like I'm going to have to be the Goron hero again. Who's the Goron out there, by the way?"

"Oh, that's Silver – Darunia's son. He named him after you. He managed to escape Ganondorf's minions because he was in here with me at the time, and Ganondorf decided I was too much trouble to get into the Fire Temple – probably my brother too. You should talk with him once your friend has left. He'll be able to help you for sure."

"What would I do without you, Medigoron? You know everything that goes on around here."

"Well, maybe not everything," he replied, abashed, but he smiled at the compliment.

"Scourge just left," Navi murmured. "I think he's headed up to the top of Death Mountain."

"You think?" I asked.

"He's moving very quickly, Silver. I can barely keep up with him. I can't even be sure it _is_ him because he's going so fast. It doesn't feel quite right, but that might just be because of the speed."

I frowned, then closed my eyes in focus and reached out toward the trail.

"How far up is he?" I asked as my mind raced up the trail in search of him.

"Going up that cliff face to the top right now," she answered.

I reoriented, searching the cliff until for a brief moment a flash of green appeared before my mind, then I headed back for it. It definitely felt wrong for him, and as I adjusted to take into account the speed it was travelling at, I understood why.

"You were right to suspect," I told her. "That's a decoy. There's a faint hint of Ganondorf about it, so I'm guessing he's gifted our friend with some magic of his own. I can't find him anywhere though."

"Open your eyes, hedgehog boy," his voice came, this time right in front of me. When I did so, I saw him – right there in front of me. "You forgot to keep your voice down once you thought I'd left." he explained smugly. "Made you only too easy to find."

"You're starting to irritate me Scourge," I told him sourly.

"Well it's about time," he smirked. "Gonna go try to save the Gorons now? Gonna love watching you try to do this. You don't know half of what's in store for you!"


	32. Into Fire

Scourge was definitely going to be a hinderance. He was already demonstrating his aptitude for making a pest of himself and the tricks Ganondorf had empowered him with were making things worse. Immune to my mind except for passive effects – I could still sense his presence, after all – and sharing Sonic's own speed... this was going to test my patience.

I resignedly decided that until I came up with a new way to try and lose him, I was going to have to do my best to carry on regardless. I thanked Medigoron for letting us know what was going on, then headed back into Goron City to meet my namesake. Try not to get confused now.

Silver was curled up rolling around one of the lower levels, and trying to approach him normally he just rolled to a stop and headed back the other way.

"You're wasting time, you know," Scourge remarked. "Or don't you care about what happens to the other Gorons?"

"Shut up, Scourge," I replied. I waited for Silver to roll close again, then gently lifted him up. "Hello Silver," I said to the curled up Goron. "Think you can spare a moment for the Hero of the Gorons?"

"That's not you," the Goron replied. "_I'm_ Silver, Hero of the Gorons!"

"But you aren't sworn brother to your father, are you?"

That turned the trick. He quickly uncurled, almost as high as I was even though he was young yet. I quickly set him down again.

"Is that what you look like?" he asked, then something got his attention. "But why're you here now? Ganondorf took father and all the other Gorons to the Fire Temple! You should have been here to stop him!"

"I was already on my way when it happened. Now I'm here and I won't let any Goron get eaten." Scourge snorted derisively. "Shut up."

"Don't you like him?" Silver asked.

"You could say that. Ignore him, Silver," I told him. "He's not important."

"Not important?" Scourge spluttered. Without turning around I gave him a shove until he stumbled over the edge to a lower level.

"Like I said. Ignore him."

"Can I come with you to the temple?"

"It could be dangerous. I know you want to help, but Volvagia is there remember. What you could do is stay here, and as I free the Gorons make sure they're all safe and well."

"I can do that!" Silver exclaimed, then something else occurred to him. "I know what'll help you! Wait here a moment!" Then he curled up and rolled down a nearby passageway, true to my words ignoring Scourge even going so far as to almost run him over until he got out the way.

Scourge glowered at me, but said nothing as I watched Silver reappear on the lowest level, then even though he was curled up he jumped up and pounded the ground to make the door to the Goron shop open, heading inside. After a few moments he came back out again, something red concealed within his curled up form.

When he rejoined us he uncurled to show a tunic bigger than he was, handing it to me.

"You should wear this instead of that tunic," he told me from somewhere behind it. "It's got special magic that'll let you stand up to the heat in the volcano and other hot places."

"What, none for me?" Scourge grumbled as I took it off him.

"Go buy your own," I told him ungraciously. "How much are they normally, Silver?"

"Cheap at three-hundred rupees," Silver replied with a faint hint of a grin.

"Are you trying to rob me?" Scourge exclaimed. "I spend seven years stealing whatever I want and now you want to take the lot from me for a measly tunic?"

"What's wrong, Scourge?" I asked benignly. "Don't think you can stand up to the heat without one? I'm sure you'll find the rupees for one if you want to follow me into the Fire Temple."

Scourge's expression grew even darker still.

"At least all those ill-gotten gains will be going to a good cause, right?" Navi suggested to me.

"It does seem like it to me."

"Alright, I get the idea!" he scowled. "I'll find enough for this. Just don't go too far ahead without me, Silver!"

"Oh, I couldn't do that – I've got the Gorons to save. Can't be loafing around waiting for you when there's Gorons to save."

Scourge blurred out instead of answering that.

"Oh, by the gods I enjoyed doing that to him," I breathed happily. "It makes all this trouble worthwhile. Now, I think I'm going to pay a quick call on Biggoron, then find my way into the Fire Temple."

"Come with me," my namesake Goron told me. "I know a shortcut you can take."

He led me down to the chamber where I'd first met Darunia, then pulled a massive pillar forward.

"You'll know the entrance to the Temple – there's this big grey stone with a fire symbol on it right in front, and there's an old lava floe cavern near the top you can use to reach Biggoron. I'll put this back after you've gone through, so that Scourge guy will have to scale the mountain to catch up with you."

"That would inconvenience him a little, wouldn't it?" I said with a wicked grin.

I could feel the heat of the crater even on this side of the pillar, but it wasn't unbearable yet so I took the opportunity to change into the Goron Tunic. I do envy Tails' ability to just ask Midna to switch his tunics at will.

Thankfully the Goron Tunic appeared to have the same magic properties as my normal Kokiri garb, resizing itself to fit. Navi humourously named it an 'automagical fitting'.

To further put Scourge behind us while he was off raiding his stash of stolen goods, I floated up through the lava-filled crater, spotting the grey design that Silver had pointed out – the destination for the warp magic song Sheik would soon turn up to teach me.

Once I found the floe cavern he'd mentioned I followed that and headed outside up to the spot just outside the Great Fairy's fountain.

"Biggoron, are you here?" I called out.

"Who's there?" his deep voice rumbled out as the giant Goron stood up to tower over us.

"It's me, Silver!" I called back. "Sworn brother of Darunia!" I added, to distinguish from Darunia's son.

"Oh, Silver! I was wondering what had happened to you. Are you here to save the Gorons?"

"That's right. Your brother let me know what was going on, but I thought I'd stop by and see about the sword."

"Sword?"

"The one I gave you seven years ago that you said you'd work on?"

"Oh, that! Just a moment." He retreated from view several rocky sounding cracks and rumbles coming from behind the ledge he stood on, then he rose part way up again, leaning over with something held in two massive fingers. "This is my finest work," he told me. "It will never break. But it might be a bit too big for you to hold. You'll have to use two hands with it."

He was right about that. The blade was taller than I was, burnished to a mirror finish and attached to a blue handle that was not merely coloured blue but actually appeared to be a gemstone. It weighed a great deal more than either of my other swords and would no doubt take time to get used to, but I had the chance to practise with it right now – enemies in the temple permitting.

"Thanks, Biggoron," I called up to him. "I'll put this to good use saving the other Gorons."

With that acquisition in hand – well, both hands – I headed back into the heat of the crater. The Goron Tunic made it bearable, but not entirely comfortable. I decided it was going to be in my better interests not to overuse my mind here, otherwise I might run out of magic to keep the tunic working. Its magic doesn't work that way, but I didn't know that at the time.

As I landed not far from the grey warp stone, Zelda's familiar presence came into existance behind me.

"That wasn't nice of you," she told me. "I saw him running across Hyrule Field."

I caught her meaning easily. "I think I can bear his misfortune with great pleasure," I replied brightly. "Maybe it'll teach him a bit of humility."

"Be nice," she chided gently, then produced a small hand harp out of nowhere. I swear there's no obvious place she could have hidden that without it being obvious. Where had she concealed it?

I didn't get the chance to wonder about that there and then because she taught me the Bolero of Fire, allowing me to return here whenever I wanted – not that I could see myself doing that – then disappeared again, this time concealed by a sudden plume of lava crashing up through a gap in the bridge she'd retreated over. She always had been one of few words in her guise as Sheik.

Since I fully intended for Scourge to have to search for me in the Temple, if not get lost inside while I went on to the next one, I wasted no time in heading into the Temple, quickly searching it with my mind. There were Gorons everywhere, usually in huddled bunches of four. For a brief moment I caught a distinctly red presence that was very old, perhaps this Volvagia I'd been hearing about, then I located a mind that I recognised easily. Darunia wasn't far from the entrance of the temple, and what was more, I could feel in his mind the same subtle differences that I had in Saria's – he was the Fire Sage.

The first room of the temple was on two tiers, the upper reached by a wide staircase. In the alcoves on either side were doors, though the east one was blocked off by a totem pole. Two Fire Keese flitted about at the top of the room, quickly shot down by arrows that, by curious coincidence, tracked their prey until they hit it. I can't imagine how that could have happened.

Darunia's presence was coming from the west and also above me slightly, so I reasoned there had to be doors at the top of the staircase. One west and a locked one east. When I reached the top I figured I was on the same level as him now and headed through the west door, out onto a large stone platform among many others in this lava-floored room. A huddle of Gorons were in a barred cell in the south of the room, while Darunia himself stood before the door that with its massive lock and chains, could only be the boss door.

Darunia had turned around at the sound of the door, and despite my altered appearance recognised me instantly.

"Silver!" he boomed. "You've come at last, brother!"

"Sorry I got held up," I called back over the intervening gap. It was hard to see how the somewhat portly Goron had made it over. "Think I might be able to lend a hand?"

"Of course! Ganondorf has resurrected the ancient lava dragon Volvagia and is planning to sacrifice my people to it. I've been trying to find the legendary hammer used to defeat it before, but I couldn't find it anywhere in here. I'll try to tackle it without it – you help my people, and if you're quick maybe you'll be able to help with Volvagia!"

I had a feeling it would be me dealing with Volvagia, and that I'd be the one to find the 'legendary hammer' as well, but I didn't want to discourage him. Before I could say anything though he produced a golden key and unlocked the door to the boss chamber – which locked again after him. I hoped there was another boss key around here somewhere.

"I hope he'll be alright," Navi said.

"He'll be fine until we get back here to help him. Now lets see about freeing these Gorons, starting with those ones over there."

Rather than trust myself to leap the gaps over the lava, I floated instead.

"Silver!" one of the Gorons inside exclaimed. "You've come to save us!"

"What do you expect from the Hero of the Gorons?" I grinned, examining the lock.

"There's a switch just beside you that'll unlock the door, but we can't get out of the Temple from here," another Goron told me.

I opened the door for them, thinking. How was I going to get them back out again?

"Don't wander off," I told them absently, trying to think.

"Could we use Farore's Wind?" Navi suggested.

"I was just thinking that myself. I'm not sure if it'll work on someone else though."

"It works on me," she pointed out. "Just take one of them instead – or as well."

"I wonder if I can make it work without needing me to go along though?" I wondered. "Would one of you mind volunteering to help me figure out this magic?" I asked the Gorons. "It's safe, I'm sure," I added quickly when they all seemed reluctant.

We started small, taking it in steps. The first Goron I teleported with me to the door I'd entered by, leaving Navi behind. As that Goron left I teleported back and repeated, this time taking a Goron and Navi – that too worked fine. Trying to take both the remaining Gorons didn't work however, depositing me by the door, but leaving them there.

Then finally I repeated the first two experiments, but this time trying not to teleport myself. The Gorons appeared over by the door one by one without Navi or me. I was certain I could send them to the entrance of the Temple this way, allowing me to get them safely out without having to take too much time away from running through it myself.


	33. Cat and Mouse

Within the cramped cell the four Gorons had been imprisoned in there were the remains of a chest, apparently kicked into one corner and partially broken up to reveal the glinting silver key within. That immediately gave me my next destination, and Farore's Wind took me directly back to it: the locked east door of the entrance room.

That took me into a massive cavern, like much of this dungeon consisting of a huge lava floor with scattered chunks of rocks and platforms throughout and the continued inconveniences of the Fire Keese. Due to the sheer size of this room and the fact that they were, on their own, not much of a threat, I ignored them this time.

I could see through the heat haze that the door opposite was locked, while the northern and southern doors were not. The north door also had another group of Gorons somewhere behind, and as I approached with intentions of freeing them I spotted a large grey block with the symbol on the Door of Time, resting on a ledge. It looked suspicious like that, definitely worth doing something about, but only after I dealt with the Gorons.

The door underneath turned right into a dark rock corridor lit only by one feebly flickering torch, barely enough to illuminate the despondent Gorons in the cell at the end. Like the first cell there was a switch not far from the bars to let them out.

"Who's there?" one Goron demanded roughly as a small rock clattered away from my foot.

"Don't be alarmed," I called back. "It's just me – Silver. Not Darunia's son, the one he's named after. Hold on just a moment, I'm going to do something about this torch."

A brief burst from Din's Fire restored the torch to full brightness, clearing the shadows from the room.

"You're not Silver," the Goron said. "Silver was Hylian."

"Emphasis on 'was'," I replied, stepping on the switch. "This happened to me a few years back while I was busy meddling in Ganondorf's plans. Don't go anywhere just yet, I've got a bit of magic that will take you safely to the temple entrance."

I sent the first three there without me, then joined the fourth just to make sure they'd made it. This was the first time I'd tried sending them directly there. Fortunately it worked fine, so I didn't worry about it any more after that, heading back to their cell to find another battered chest containing another silver key.

Back outside in the cavern I got up on top of the Time block and played the Song of Time, expecting it simply to disappear. Instead, it shifted into a blue light, moving aside and dropping down to bar access to the lower door, but provide a convenient way of travelling up to the ledge above for the door there. This of course meant what I was stood on had moved, and only a quick reaction caused me to have a close meeting with the floor.

"Careful, Silver," Navi warned as I reached for the door. "There's a Like-Like in that room."

"A _what_?" I demanded. "Are you making up these names?"

"Of course not," she answered, sounding a little injured. "Like-Like's... well, you'll see one in a moment, but you want to keep away from it. They're known to eat almost everything – like shields, tunics-"

"I get the idea. I'll watch out for it as soon as I notice it."

"You won't be able to miss it, believe me," Navi remarked.

In spite of that warning I kept one hand near Biggoron's sword. He'd conveniently given me a scabbard for it as well, though it had the tendency to poke me when I wasn't careful, so I attached it to the inside of the pouch – the one that always seemed to have more space – and kept the giant sword right on my belt. It was a strange effect, drawing a massive sword from something so small, but it worked.

The room on the other side of the door was covered in neat green ceramic tiles on all walls, except for a stoney ledge at the back on which was a slimy... thing. It seemed to move about by wiggling its large tube-like body around. There was an opening in the top I saw as it tilted over slightly I hoped I never had to see up close.

It started to slowly slip down off the ledge toward me, but before I could turn my attention to it the green tiles on the floor rose up and started to fly at me. Since my hand was already near Biggoron's sword I quickly, if awkwardly, drew it and started to use it to carve up the tiles as they approached. I got continually peppered with shards of tile as I cut them up, making for some decent practise getting used to this sword, but they were easier to handle like that. I had to use far less to deflect a lot of small shards than an entire tile.

As the floor was rapidly denuded of its tiles, the Like-Like continued to worn its way across the dirt floor. I kept close watch on it while fending off the barrage of tiles, turning my back on it only when the tiles behind and even beneath me join in the attack. It moved slowly though, so I had little to worry about.

When the dirt floor was completely exposed with a mass of tile shards scattered over it, I turned on the Like-Like, using the considerable reach of Biggoron's sword to attack it without getting close to it. After only three blows, even from the end of the blade alone, it sank down, melting away in defeat.

I stood breathing hard for a few minutes once I was sure it was safe. Biggoron's sword was heavier and needed more effort to fight with, and I wasn't used to it yet.

"Remind me to thank Biggoron next time we're up there," I told Navi after a time. "I think the reach of this might have just saved us from ever worrying about a Like-Like again. Just as soon as I can get used to wielding it, that is."

"Uh-oh," Navi said. I quickly got Biggoron's sword back in both hands, ready to handle whatever she'd found. "Oh, stop that," she told me. "We're safe here."

"What then?"

"Scourge just entered the temple."

"What? Already?"

"Unless it's a good trick again. We've got one advantage over him though – he doesn't know where we are."

"Where is he right now?" I asked. I suppose I could have gone looking myself, but her words implied she was watching him. Figuratively speaking.

"In the room we met Darunia in," she supplied. "We'd better keep moving quickly if we want to stay ahead of him."

I wasn't going to argue with that. Farore's Wind whisked us back out to the cavern and from there to the opposite southern door – which promptly attempted to fall on me. It was stubbornly resistant to harm until I bombed it, destroying the fake door and the wall behind to reveal the real door. It gave us access to another small room with four more Gorons in a cell, all sent quickly up to the entrance to make their way out and retrieve another key from the similarly battered chests. They didn't seem to fare too well sharing a cramped cell with four Gorons, but at least the key was left intact.

"In the cavern now," Navi reported as I headed back for the door. I opened it a crack, peering out to see Scourge stood by the western entrance, now decked out in a Goron Tunic of his own. He must have immediately eliminated the east door as it was still locked, trying to decide whether to head north or south. I kept Farore's Wind ready in hand in case he chose to head south first, planning to quickly teleport up to the north room to avoid getting caught by him.

Scourge for once cooperated however, starting off by tracing a route northbound then starting to pick his way along. A Fire Keese dived for him, but he did something with one hand I couldn't see and the Keese dropped dead before it even reached him.

As he scrambled up the Time block I took a chance, emerging into the cavern proper but hovering over the floor to mask any sound I'd make.

"You know, you could probably shoot him from here," Navi murmured. "I'd love to see his reaction to getting an arrow in his behind."

"Tempting, but we're trying to avoid him, remember?" I replied, carefully avoiding Keese, lava plumes and even a Bubble that burst out of the lava on fire.

"Looks like he just went into the Like-Like room. Let's move on quickly. Maybe he won't notice the lock missing on the door."

I didn't use Farore's Wind to make the last of the trip as it had a distinctive whistling sound, unlocking the door to access the next area – a narrow strip of rock with a charred wood log crossing a river of lava below. On the other side was a metal fence structure with grates stretching into the back wall with several keese nestled on. Two totem-like pillars stood on opposite sides of a lava vent that occasionally blasted a pillar of fire high into the air, spraying the area with flecks of lava and rocks.

I immediately noticed that on top of one of the two pillars was an additional chunk of carved stone, just slightly smaller than a hole in the ceiling above the vent. That was quickly pulled down over the vent from the floor during a lull in the vent's flow, then with barely any time to spare I scrambled up on top of it.

A deep rumbling sounded from underneath, the stone starting to shake underneath me. The door I'd come in by opened to show Scourge in the doorway.

"Found you!" he grinned.

"Bet?" I smirked back. "Going up!"

On cue, the force of the vent launched the stone upwards. A few slight nudges ensured it would make it through the gap without collision. As I emerged safely in a room above I got off the stone and waited for the lava beneath to stop. I kept hold of it, dropping it down as the lava dropped and setting it back in place atop the pillar I'd first found it on.

"Will you stop that?" Scourge's voice echoed up from below.

I ignored that, unlocking the nearby door to emerge into the next room. There were some more Gorons in another cell and a strange thing that looked like a slug made of lava. I stabbed it with my sword, and it turned from red to grey and started to flee.

"Stab it again!" one of the Gorons commanded. "Before it gets away!"

I obliged, defeating it then searching for a switch to release them.

"Where..." I started.

"On the other side. You'll have to go on a bit of a trek to reach us. We'll wait, just don't take long, whoever you are."

I once again confirmed my identity for them, then started to continue around the chamber.

There was a large stone up on a ledge quickly dragged down from the ground floor to the astonishment of the nearby Gorons. I dispatched another lava slug, then rose up to the top of the chamber to find a grating to exit through the top of the room – if I could get rid of the fire blocking the path.

"Hit the crystal switch with something," Navi suggested, flying over to a crystal thing set in the floor. I tossed a rock at it from the floor to trigger it, causing the silver core to turn golden with a _ping _and the fire to vanish. The metal grating started to cool with a series of cracks and plinks, so I chose to forgo the climbing and float up instead – just as I heard Scourge finally enter the door. He was certainly making an effort to keep up with me!

As I climbed however I heard another ping and a sudden blast of hot air carried me quicker up the chute. Below I saw that the fire had returned and the grating starting to heat up again. Though made indistinct over the sound of the fire, I heard Scourge mutter a few comments about that.

I passed through the door at the top to head into a large room with a dirt floor and several giant rocks rolling around and many stone structures that didn't reach the top of the room, but rose up high enough that a normal person would be unable to climb to the top without some assistance.

Inconveniently I found that trying to rise up past the top of those structures caused me to hit an unseen barrier, refusing me passage. Either the Temple had been built with someone like me in mind, or Ganondorf had added this recently in order to try to stop me. I was forced to pick my way through the maze of corridors the structures created, often having to avoid rocks. I used the presence of Gorons to the north and south as reference points, and when I heard the sound of Scourge entering I kept track of him as well. He was just as lost as I was in this room for now, and as long as I ensured he never found me maybe he'd stay lost in here for a while.


	34. Fire Flared

The maze by itself would have been easily handled, had it not been for the large rocks rolling around, often stopping without reason and rolling back the other way. My continued insistence on evading Scourge added another level of difficulty to this, but I had two things he didn't.

For one thing I could keep track of him and two groups of Gorons in the room, knowing where they were in relation to me. This coupled with the ability to detect the worlds latent magnetic field meant I knew exactly which way was north and was therefore unlikely to lose my way.

Navi was the other thing he didn't have. She put to good use what she'd learned in the well beneath Kakariko, building up a mental idea of what was around us to better guide us. She could warn me of rocks around the corners without even having to look down there, pick up their paths and even figure out a route for me to take that would reach my first goal, which was the southern group of Gorons. The northern ones would have to wait; Scourge was wandering around in that end of the room.

"I'm starting to see a pattern here," I said to Navi after warping the four Gorons to the Temple entrance. "Every cell has a chest in, and each of those chests have a key in. A bit battered because the cells aren't really big enough for four Gorons, but always there."

"At least you'll know where to turn if you need another key then," Navi replied. "Just look for the Gorons. How's Darunia doing, do you know?"

I reached out quickly to the room he'd gone into, finding the flash of red again that I suspected was Volvagia – describing it as a colour isn't really accurate, but it isn't easy to put into words – and the distinct presence of a Sage, even unawakened.

"He's still there for the moment, at least. If we work quickly we'll be able to join in the fun."

"Fun? Fighting a revived legendary fire dragon is your idea of fun?"

"Well no, but I'm a hero, aren't I? It's expected of me."

"Did you bash your head one too many times while I wasn't looking?" Navi asked suspiciously.

"Why Navi, what a thing to say."

With the Gorons freed I started to make my way to the north end of the room to release the Gorons there too, but it seemed despite the rumbling from all the rocks the distinctive whistling sound Farore's Wind made had been picked up by Scourge, forcing me to take several detours as he picked his way south.

Along the way I found a locked door along the western side of the room, leading south into what Navi told me was a smaller room that had what she suspected was a large chest in – if it wasn't the hammer Darunia had mentioned, it would likely be the map, but that could wait.

The northern Gorons were reachable through another short dirt corridor on the other side of a crudely made door. I suspected these areas had been dug out specifically for this, probably very recently, something the Gorons confirmed as they watched me warp their friends back to the entrance.

Since the door had masked the sound of Farore's Wind, this time Scourge had no idea where I was, so while the coast was more or less clear I headed for the locked door I'd seen and let myself in. The heat increased noticeably in here, rising up from a room I could see below with a lot of lava in – it looked like the eastern cavern on the lower level.

Up here though there were just a few jutting rocks forming a path from the north door I'd entered by to the southern one opposite, along with a branch leading west that had the large chest on – and the map with it.

The map suggested I hadn't nearly gone through as much of this temple as I thought, but gave little in the way of details. Since I still didn't read Hylian very well, some of the warnings it marked were incomprehensible to me, which was inconvenient because if I'd been able to read some of them it could have made a fair difference.

An example of that was the next room, reachable through both the west and south doors, I quickly found the west door was a dead end area surrounded by metal grating, barring me from the rest of the room. It did give me a deceptively easy idea of what to expect – several more gratings hanging from the ceiling would let me get around to either another western door half way round the room, or all the way to an eastern one north of me that would open out on the upper level of the rock maze I'd just come from.

Things changed when I came in from the southern door instead though. Almost as soon as I set foot on the first hanging grate a wall of flames shot up behind me that reached all the way to the ceiling – and then it started to shift toward me around this semi-circle room.

There was nothing else for it, I couldn't do anything about it so I did the only thing I could and started for the next grating, leaping the gap only narrowly avoiding a Red Bubble that shot out of the lava at me. Another one tried to attack similar at the next gap, but I was more wary for it now and simply sent it crashing down into the lava with a blow from my shield as I passed overhead, then took the next grating up a ways to put me on level with the door that'd lead back into the maze.

The firewall died down as soon as I stepped on to the safety of the stone ledge before the door, so I took a moment to relax after that little chase. Navi had other ideas though.

"Keep moving, Silver," she warned. "Scourge just found his way into that little room you got the map from."

"How does he keep managing to keep up with me?" I burst out irritably, but moved on anyway.

From above the maze was far easier to traverse. The same barrier which had prevented me from heading up here earlier also prevented me from falling back down again, which was helpful.

There were more lava slugs around here, but they were easily dealt with, needing only two strikes from Biggoron's sword. During fighting one I found a crack in the top of a larger pillar with warm air coming through.

When I left it there, Navi piped up again. "Aren't there Gorons you can reach from there?"

"Yeah, the ones we saw that said they'd wait for us," I replied. "But first I want to see what that crystal switch over there does, because I'm hoping it'll release the Gorons in the cell just to the south – right above the ones we freed earlier."

"And if Scourge catches up?"

"Oh, bother him. He'll manage it sooner or later, I don't have patience to keep evading him."

"That's good, because he's right behind you," his voice came. "And a right chase _you_ led me on."

"Certainly took you long enough," I replied, not bothering to turn around. I shot the crystal switch with an arrow to make it trigger as I headed over to the Gorons, who were released as I thought they'd be.

"Well if you hadn't kept putting stuff in my way..." Scourge grumbled.

"Serves you right for making a pest of yourself."

The Gorons looked at Scourge suspiciously, not that he appeared to care except to watch with interest as I sent them on out.

"Now that's a neat trick you've got there," he remarked as I retrieved the key afterwards. "I wondered why I hadn't seen any Gorons wandering around the temple."

"Now you know. Are you going to do anything useful, or are you just here to irritate me."

"Dunno. Whatever takes my fancy I guess. Don't have to see Ganondorf unless I see something I reckon he ought to know about."

Scourge appeared to have some trouble accepting my casually walking over what appeared to be empty air, preferring instead to jump along the pillars and structures so he fell slightly behind. Since he'd caught up and I didn't have any way of getting rid of him again yet, I reasoned I might as well let him keep up with me, sending a bomb on ahead to the crack in the floor, then jumping down the hole revealed. Scourge stared down after me, watching me settle down lightly on the floor below, scowled, then started to climb down the nearby grating.

I left him behind as I started down the long and winding green tiled hallway, the tiles here smaller than the ones that had attacked me earlier so I trusted they wouldn't suddenly follow that example. Just as both Navi and the map had suggested, this corridor led to a switch on the other side of the barred cell the Gorons earlier had been imprisoned in, this switch retracting the bars on both sides of the cell to create a handy shortcut.

The fourth Goron – the one who I'd talked to before – stopped me before I sent him on ahead.

"There's a creature in this temple you need to be warned about, brother," he told me. "All I can tell you is that you'll know it because it dances when it attacks and that arrows don't work on it. I heard a rumour that suggested a blast might work though."

"Thanks for warning me. I think I can handle that now if it shows up."

"I hope so, brother. Good luck."

I sent him on to catch up with the others, consulting the map while I listened to the sounds of Scourge grumbling away, still climbing down. From what I could interpret, I needed to go back to the room with the great firewall of death and hope I could reach the western door before it incinerated me.

In an attempt to lose him a second time, rather than heading back up the way we'd come I retracted my original route, quickly switching the crystal switch to lower the flames and head up again, eventually coming out in the lower half of the maze room. Navi helped me navigate it to reach the map room again, then back out into the firewall room. Scourge meanwhile had gone entirely the wrong way and was headed back into the main cavern below.

This time I decided not to waste time jumping across the platforms, reasoning that since it had been my stepping on the first one that had caused the firewall to flare up, I could avoid that simply by not touching it. Naturally, the alternative was simply to float through.

The firewall had other ideas however, rising up again as soon as I was above the first grate. I had momentum behind me this time however, and I'd also noticed something. Where there were small rocks in the lava below, no matter what their size, they caused a break in the fire. That meant the ledge with the westbound door would be safe.

I landed there and paused to watch and sure enough, the fire cut off when it met the platform, passing harmlessly past me. My delay to watch had cost me, as Navi quickly told me Scourge was back on my trail again. At least I'd bought myself a bit of time without having to worry about him.


	35. Hammer Time

The heat level in the next room had dropped considerably compared to previous ones. It looked simple enough at first glance – there were several doors around this crescent shaped room, a tall stone structure just opposite me along with a rusty switch just beyond and a scattering of small thin pillars throughout the room.

Without putting my abilities to use, there was going to be no immediate access to the door immediately opposite me, leading west. The map quickly told me that only three of the many doors in this room were real, the others being mimics that would attempt to fall on me again.

I started to head for a door in the north of the center of the room, only to have Navi warn me back when I got close to the gap between two pillars – and a fire shot up out of the ground.

"That was close," I remarked. "Thanks for warning me. How did you know it was there?"

"It's already there, but you can't see it unless you get close," she answered. "There's more in here too, so you'll have to watch out. I'll try to guide you if I can, but you'll have to backtrack – you can't get anywhere from this side."

"Trust me to make a wrong turn here," I muttered, but took note all the same. Navi's ability to feel these barriers was coming useful here, keeping me from trying to burn myself on these fire barriers. They always sank out of sight once I got far enough away from them, making it harder to remember where they were. Not that I had to worry, but it brought a smile to my face knowing Scourge would have just as much trouble with it and none of the warnings I had.

We had to retrace our steps back to where we'd come in, then pick our way through the fire barriers to reach the southern door instead. The two doors on either side of the central room were no doubt there as the way past the fire barriers.

Inside the room linking those two doors was another cell, this time with only three Gorons, who like the last ones were content to wait – as long as I didn't take too long. The threat of being eaten by Volvagia was still hanging over them.

When I came back out past the line of fire barriers Navi warned me about, someone else had finally made his way into the room, but hadn't yet discovered the barriers himself – so I decided to teach him about them, my way.

"Can't you just leave me alone?" I asked Scourge, feigning irritation. "You're really starting to become a pain now."

"Would you stop what you're doing if Ganondorf asked you?" he called back, but didn't move just yet.

"Well since I can't seem to get rid of you, I might as well give up and let you tag along. Come on, before I change my mind," I said, then following Navi's whispered directions picked my way through this side of the fire barriers. Scourge hadn't moved, looking after me suspiciously. "What, you think this is some kind of trick?"

"You're giving in too easily. You're up to something, I know it."

"Oh, nonsense. I don't have patience for that, not with this place being a pain. Either come or don't, I'm not waiting around for you all day."

I could see as I made my way for a switch there was another firewall blocking my path, though this one was stationary. The switch probably disabled it, maybe for good or maybe only for long enough to reach the other side.

We carefully avoided triggering any of the fire barriers along the way so as not to give away the secret of what awaited him. He watched us warily for a while, then finally gave in and started to run over to catch up with us, somehow managing to avoid the first two lines of fire barriers. He hit the third though because that one stretched the whole way across the room, flinching back violently from the impact and the fire. He did know enough to put himself out, stood glaring after me.

"Oh, did I forget to mention them?" I said innocently. "Must have slipped my mind while handling this."

Scourge tried to find a gap in the barrier, only to find none, of course. I triggered the switch, which put out the firewall and let me reach the door behind. Just before the switch triggered again to restore it, I called back, "Have a nice day now, won't you?"

He response was lost to the sudden roar of the firewall flaring up again.

There was a door mimic pretending to be a door here, though the map insisted there was a real door here too. A bomb conveniently destroyed the mimic and revealed the real door behind, letting us into a round chamber with a raised platform in the middle, fire rising up from it. Within it was a tall fiery figure that looked like a scarecrow made of fire, except for a black head.

It leapt out of the flames and started dancing toward me – this must be the enemy the Goron had warned me about! Well, we knew how to deal with this. A bomb was brought close, triggered early by contact with the fire. The fire was extinguished to drop the head to the floor, a tiny black creature with two spindly legs.

It ran out of reach of my sword, but couldn't get out of reach of my mind as I sent the Master Sword chasing after it. It ran from that headlong into me stood with Biggoron's Sword, then seeing the two bearing down on him leapt back into the fire to restore the flames.

A second bomb removed the flames again as soon as it landed out of the fire again, and this time I held it up in the air so it couldn't go anyway while I finished it off. The flames on the platform died with it, and given the hole in the ceiling I guessed this was to let me use it to get up another level.

Sure enough it rose up once I was aboard, taking me to a small green tiled room above. Another crystal switch triggered more flames to drop, allowing me to continue on again, only to exit into another massive cavern. This was near the top of the temple and therefore the volcano now, so the heat was almost completely gone. I could see far below the lava was still present though.

The room mostly consisted of a long winding route around the edge to reach a ledge just above and behind me. I rose up to survey the room, shooting down some fire keese while I was there. There was a larger switch part way around the room, and a quick stop on it told me I needed more than my weight to trigger it. A smaller switch was waiting to be used on the first ledge around from where I'd entered, which by the lack of other options I assumed would put out the flames encircling the large chest.

"These places just aren't made with me in mind," I commented, triggering the small switch then heading immediately for the large chest. "Anyone else would have to run all the way around the room to get here."

"Maybe that's why you got chosen?" Navi suggested. "Anyone else would have a harder time of it, but what are obstacles to them are just inconvenient for you."

"I guess that might explain why Tails is slated to be a hero too. He's not like me, but he can fly on his own strength."

I opened the chest only to find a massive hammer, almost as long and even heavier than Biggoron's sword was.

"That explains why Darunia couldn't find it," Navi said. "I can't exactly see him getting all the way up here."

"Could be, but does it have to be so heavy?"

"Well, it's not called the Megaton hammer for nothing," she replied. "Maybe you should try using it on that big switch we saw?"

I hefted it in both hands, almost straining to keep it up without having to use my mind as well. I hoped I wasn't going to have to use this too often. It was a small mercy that if I stowed this, like everything else, in the pouch I'd picked up so long ago, the weight would be mitigated until I took it out again. A very convenient little thing that was.

Navi's suggestion turned out to be a good one. With the massive weight of the hammer brought to bear on the large switch it sank down a ways, clicked, then dropped rapidly away. I followed it down, only to have it bring me back up again, apparently powered by magic. It didn't appear to need triggering a second time, after a delay taking me back down to the room it had revealed below.

Another green tiled room, though it seemed thankfully that it had only been the one such room before that had the tiles attack me. There was another totem, like the one I'd seen at the entrance, blocking my way. This time though I smashed the hammer into the side of it, shattering it into pieces so I could move on again.

That let me into an 'L' shaped room with no immediately clear exit, other than the one I'd just used. A couple more fire keese flitted about until I shot them too, leaving me with a pair of empty wooden boxes and an odd pillar sticking out of the floor.

The map told me there was another door ahead to leave this room by, but the wall beyond was not bombable, nor did there appear to be any trigger. The odd pillar seemed to be the only possibility, but what could I do with it?

Then I caught on – it was the trigger I needed. The hammer was slammed down on top of it, forcing it into the ground. The massive stone slabs ahead dropped down to form a steep set of stairs downwards, revealing a barred door at their base and another switch.

In case it wasn't as simple as it looked, I took the boxes down with me. The switch of course unbarred the door, but wouldn't stay switched, so I used the boxes to keep it open, then just to irritate Scourge – if he was still following – I reached back after I was through and nudged the two boxes to either side, barring the door on that side again.

The next room was remarkably similar to the one we'd taken down from the hammer room, and treating the large switch here similar revealed it actually was. This time I stood on it as I did so, taken down with it to create a new ledge on the upper level of the room with the fire barriers.

This let me access two things – the rusty switch, and a larger switch on top of the odd structure I'd seen before. The rusty switch wouldn't trigger on its own, so I once again employed the hammer to force it, unbarring the westbound door.

I could have triggered the other switch too, but this allowed me to reach the Gorons in the room behind. Up on this upper level of the room I could see the stone roof of the cell on the other side, along with another Time block. The Song of Time moved this one down to form a handy, if unneccessary, shortcut, and also revealed another rusty switch that let the Gorons out, along with netting me another small key.

With them freed and returned to the entrance room, I hit the larger switch outside causing the structure to drop away. As I'd been stood on it at the time, I was taken down with it to the room I'd met Darunia in, forming a safer means of reaching the door to him and Volvagia, though I still didn't have the key for that door.

It had however provided a quick way back to the start of the temple. I went back to the entrance chamber and smashed up the totem here to access the door behind, unlocking it to let me into – you guessed it – another green tile room. I reckon the builders ordered too many, so just randomly picked a room to cover in them.

There were fire keese and more lava slugs in here. I stabbed a nearby lava slug to make it leave me alone while I shot down the keese, then at another of Navi's suggestions pounded the floor with the hammer. Its great weight shook the room, flipping all the lava slugs onto their back making them defenceless. It was just too easy to deal with them after that.

The room behind that was similar and held another Like-Like on the far side. Like the last room with a Like-Like in, the tiles rose up from the floor to attack me, and were dealt with similarly. The reach of Biggoron's sword once again saved me from having to get close enough to the Like-Like to worry about it, and I moved on yet again to a room identical to the one I'd faced the dancing flame thing.

It fared no better than the previous one had however, dealt with even quicker since I didn't give it a chance to jump back into the fire. It did looked distinctly upset when it found I'd held it in the air so it couldn't go anywhere.

The chest that appeared where the flames had been allowed me to restock not only my bomb bag but my quiver as well, having used a fair number of arrows by now, then headed through the only other door into a corridor that led to the last of the imprisoned Gorons. The cell was another one barred from both sides, the other side leading back out to the other door in the entrance room, but the switch was on this side and was rusty to boot.

There were only two Gorons in this cell, and they needed no assistance to make their way out. They'd shared their cell with an ornate blue and gold chest that, of course, held the Big Key. Now it was time to face off against Volvagia, with or without Darunia depending on how his attempt to deal with it had gone. He was a Sage-to-be though, so even if he wasn't there when I went to face it, he'd awaken once I defeated the dragon.


	36. Dragon Duel

Volvagia's cavern was near the foot of the volcano and so was unsurprisingly hot even with the Goron Tunic. There was no evidence of Darunia's attempt on the fire dragon, and no evidence of the dragon itself for that matter.

A short piece of stone led down from the door to a huge chunk of basalt that rested, bobbing and turning slightly in the lava below. There were lava vents on top of it, arranged in a simple square grid.

I could feel the presence of the dragon in here, at the moment resting somewhere beneath the vents. Darunia's presence was gone, either because of Volvagia or masked by it. Warily, I headed down the stone slope that led onto the basalt, where it fell away to leave it freely floating on the lava lake below.

The Triforce of Courage might have taken up residence with me, but at the time it felt like it wasn't doing much. Facing an ancient legendary dragon on your own tends to do that to you, but no matter what the chances were, I had no choice but to fight this thing – as soon as it showed itself.

I kept clear of the vents, warily making my way across the basalt until I stood not far from the central vent. Something rumbled below, shaking the rock and making the lava vents start to slop lava over the nearby rocks. I quickly moved clear of those to avoid burning my boots or worse, my feet.

Then the center vent gave rise to a plume of flame that seemed almost like a cloud, and from it burst up the great dragon, Volvagia – a kind of dragon better known as a Wyrm, a long worm-like red dragon reaching up into the air on impossibly stubby wings, had it not been for the magical ambiance this world had. A flare of fire behind its head gave it a long mane that whipped about in the air currents with every move it made, and as it turned its baleful gaze on me its pure green eyes stared out of the horned rock-like mask, giving it an intimidating visage.

Two short arms reached back as it gave a short screeching roar, fading to a short cloud of fire aimed for where I had been, had I not moved. The entire thing seemed to be nothing but orange fire and red lava except for that face. How was I meant to fight this monster?

All I had to go on was what Darunia had said – the Megaton hammer had been used to defeat it once before. What good was that going to do me now though?

Volvagia meanwhile dived down again, flattening arms against its body to drop into a corner vent. My sword just bounced off the scaly hide with no effect in the slightest.

"A little help here, Navi!" I called over the cracking and rumbling from below.

"Soon as you tell me how!" she replied.

"I don't know, I thought you knew about these things!"

"Legendary dragons aren't exactly my best point, Silver – watch out behind you!" she added, as another plume marked Volvagia preparing to exit another vent. I took a chance, quickly readying the Megaton hammer and starting to swing it down hoping it would get the dragon just as it emerged.

The rocky face started to emerge, the green eyes suddenly going very wide as it saw the metal head of the hammer descend, but it was either unwilling or unable to stop itself emerging now. The two collided with a great crack, echoed in the stone face with a crack that ran from between the twin horns down to one side. The two forces collided, somehow nullifying Volvagia's movement as the stunned dragon fell limply over the edge of the vent, stunned.

With the mask still in place there was only so much I could do, but I had to do whatever I could. Rather than try to put the Megaton hammer away I simply dropped it, drew the Master Sword from my back and hacked away, carefully avoiding the mask. Here near the head it was still tough, but slightly more vulnerable at least. Part of the mane fell away to my slashes, though there were no remains – it just stopped burning and vanished – but I had little enough effect before it recovered and drew its head back into the vent.

I sheathed the sword, picking up hammer with a slight strain again – even using my mind as well as my hands, it was still an effort to wield this thing, not the most ideal situation for a boss fight with a dragon!

Volvagia shot out of a far vent quicker this time, with no warning plume or chance to beat it over the head. This time it rose up, higher even than it had when making its first appearance before me until it hit the top of the cavern, causing a shower of rocks. Those that came close to me I shoved quickly aside with my mind, though Navi quickly seized them with her own and shoved them down hard on the vents until only the center vent was clear.

The great dragon wasn't done yet though, diving down not for the vent but for the surrounding lake of lava. When it reached the same level as us it rammed the huge basalt rock, making it tip back from the impact. Where it had been only floating on the lava it now moved around, tipping wildly from side to side as it tried to regain some balance. Navi's rocks had made it top-heavy though, and it started to tip further and further. I had to stow the hammer away and leap into the air lest I fall in the lava myself, and gods forbit I lost the hammer to the lava!

The basalt continued to tip, first on its side, then upright to show its still glowing base – with nine similar vents in the exact same position.

"Two can play at that game," Navi muttered, having not taken this counter-strategy well. She didn't elaborate though and I couldn't tell what she was doing, but my attention was still on Volvagia. As the rock stabilised and cooled enough for me to safely walk on, Volvagia finally descended back down again, diving into one of the vents.

With the rock stable I picked out the hammer once more, trying to keep track of where it was. A plume appeared on an edge vent, so with a burst behind me I propelled myself toward it only just in time to slam the hammer down on its face once again. The crack on the rock mask grew wider, showing the true lava face behind, and another one appeared straight across, but still it remained attached to the stunned dragon's face.

This time I left the mane, wedging the sword into the crack to stab at the snout beneath, setting one foot against the mask and heaving back, trying to force even a single chunk of it off. It howled and writhed as the tip of the sword scratched into its vulnerable nose, thrashing about to throw me off and only narrowly missing sending the hammer into the lava had I not reacted quick enough to retrieve it. One chunk of the rock mask was gone, revealing a thin angry red line where I'd cut into it.

Rather than retreat back into the vent as it had done before, it breathed fire to keep me away then hauled itself out and up into the air once again, headed up for the cavern roof in preparation for another rock shower.

"Need any more rocks?" I asked Navi quickly.

"Going to need all I can get," she replied. "If you need them, try to use only one until it breaks up."

"What are you up to?" I shouted over the sudden roar of rock, but it was lost in the noise.

I took the first rock I saw before Navi stole it, guiding it around in an attempt to hit Volvagia with it. The dragon was suspicious of this strangely behaving rock though, circling around to keep a watch on it.

At Navi's quick prompting she took the rock off me in exchange for another one that was closer to Volvagia, one I could use to better effect by bringing it crashing down onto its head from above. It gave a furious scream when the rock hit, almost falling out of the air before it caught itself and dived for another vent, not even attempting to tip the rock this time.

It caused three plumes of fire to appear at different vents, so I quickly put my mind to use figuring out which was the real one – only to find it was trying to deceive me anyway, shooting up out of a completely different vent behind me. Rather than trying to make another rock shower or breath fire it flew right at me. It was fairly easy to evade the increasingly frustrated dragon as its body wasn't suited for tight turns no matter how much it tried. I did try to swing the hammer around into its face at one point, but it simply changed course and angled up over the hammer instead.

Then it flew back out over the lava again, planning to ram the platform again. I steadied myself in preparation for the effect of the ramming attack it would do, but I caught an odd tinkling sound that came from Navi, who was actually shaking with quiet laughter.

"What are-"

"Wait and see," she cut me off.

Volvagia collided with the rock – and nothing happened! It didn't move about in the slightest, not even a hint of a tip. Now I understood what Navi had been doing with the rocks, building a stable base underneath to nullify this attack.

The furious dragon rose up with another enraged screech, another part of its mask missing after that impact. It breathed fire in short bursts at the both of us, but Navi took cover in the red cap that had come with the tunic, as it was as heat-proof as the rest of it. Some slight heat might get to her, but not enough to harm her.

I tried to keep clear of the fire all the same though, waiting for my chance. There was only a small piece of the rock mask left now, covering one side of its face only. If I timed my strike right, I could remove it, stun it, and deal a hefty blow to it all in one go.

Once again it dived into a vent, and once again three of them flared. It wasn't trying to trick me this time, only try to throw me off which one it was emerging from, a tactic made useless by my tracking the dragon's presence. I readied the hammer, tried to calm my racing heart and hoped this worked the way I wanted it to.

The two flares marking the vents it wasn't using faded moments before it emerged before me, so I took that as my opportunity to strike a blow, not entirely downwards but at such an angle it would catch the remains of the mask. The blow struck true; Volvagia emerged, the hammer impacted, the angle sending the mask flying off as the full force of the blow slammed the dragon's head down onto the rock below. Rather than fall back to my sword I kept hold of the hammer, hitting it again and again, pounding rhythmically down on its head with all the fading strength I had left until at last it managed to recover and retreated back into the vent.

I was breathing hard from my exertions by now, definitely feeling the aches forming from my repeated attacks. I hoped I had enough left to finish it off, but as Volvagia emerged, flying into the air for the last time, I realised I'd done it. The tough red scales of the body were turning white-hot, searing even this great dragon to burn away its body until nothing but a charred chain of bones hung limply in the air before they lost cohesion and fell apart, landing if not in the lava, then in a vent or bouncing in to one or the other.

It was with great relief I stepped into the blue circle of light to leave. This had been by far the most exhausting battle I'd had yet, and I welcomed letting something else get me around for a chance to recover.


	37. Chill Will, Chill Omens

The Temple of Light, perhaps because of the resident shard of the Triforce with me, seemed to have a healing effect on me as I descended once again in blue light to the Chamber of the Sages, this time facing of course the red fire design that Darunia was rising out of.

"Well Silver, look at you now," he said without preamble, his great voice echoing through the chamber. "Not just once did you save the Gorons, but twice! And to think, _I'm_ the Sage of Fire! For a creature from beyond Hyrule, you turned out to be a real man!"

"Least I could do for my Sworn Brother, right? Just answer me one thing, Darunia? How did you recognise me? Last time we met..."

"You were a Hylian, I know. But I heard rumours of a strange creature in green seen in Kakariko calling itself Silver, and I know only one person that could be. Then of course I held a brief communion with Saria just as I awakened, and that little forest girl told me the rest just now."

"I should have guessed, I suppose. I seem to attract attention anywhere I go."

"You're a hero – it goes with the title. Now, Hero of Time, accept this medallion filled with my power and the power of all the spirits of fire!"

I collected the medallion and light claimed me to take me from the Sacred Realm back to Hyrule, revealing the blue light once again, now depositing me just outside Death Mountain Crater, not far from Biggoron.

The flared orange ring above the mountain flared even further, then a pillar of flame shot out of the crater. As it retreated down again, the ring gradually turned back into the normal ever present cloud-ring that always sat above Death Mountain.

"There's another Great Fairy in the crater," Navi said. "I think."

"You think?" I asked. "Well, best to check before I go back to my green, I think. Red doesn't really suit me."

"Maybe we should go check on Scourge too," she continued as I headed into the crater again. "Just to make sure he's alright."

"Never mind him. He managed to get through seven years just fine without me, I'm sure he'll be fine now."

"I was thinking of something else. He has a fake image just like you use to, right?"

"Sure, that's why he still looks Hylian."

"Wouldn't he find it a bit awkward if we brought him out and it 'happened' to disappear on him? Your magic does tend to have that effect, you know."

"It'd take several trips," I mused thoughtfully. "It took me at least three – going to Lake Hylia and back through the Zora shortcut and once proving myself to Ruto. Oh, gods, Ruto – I hope she isn't still planning to press her suit."

"Don't bet on it," Navi laughed. "She was one determined little Zora then, and she's grown up now. I wouldn't put it past her to still be set on you."

"Please, don't remind me," I said in a pained tone. I used the hammer to destroy a string of rocks that were resistant to bombs, revealing the entryway to the Great Fairy's Fountain.

"No worries there, she'll do that all on her own. Anyway, if it takes three trips to remove an image, that's simple – one from wherever he is to the temple entrance, then walk outside. Take another one from there to the top of the crater where we just came in, outside again then a third one down to Kakariko."

"And if it takes a few more?"

"Well, the next temple is the Water Temple, which means we'll have to go to either Zora's Domain or Lake Hylia. We'll just use it to hop around a bit more, and pretend not to notice as his image slowly fails on him. And even better, he can't use the Temple of Time to restore his one, because it only works on yours."

"We don't know that for certain, Navi."

"I think it'll work that way. We might not have to worry anyway, he might not think to go there. Especially with the Redeads around."

It had possibilities, at least. Where the Kokiri were concerned they'd just assume he'd fallen foul of the same 'curse' I had when he left the forest, but the rest of Hyrule would probably have a little trouble accepting him. If nothing else it would annoy him, and that was something I decided not to pass up.

Zelda's Lullaby summoned the Great Fairy, who appeared like any and all others, greeting me as the Great Fairy of Wisdom – again.

"Don't tell me," I said. "You're twin sisters, like the Great Fairy of Magic?"

"Is that what she's been going around telling people?" The Great Fairy asked, amused. "Actually its far simpler than that. We each have several fountains, and not just in Hyrule either. Our sisters keep watch over far-off Termina instead, but Hyrule is ours alone."

"I wonder if Ganondorf's influence reached this Termina."

"No – but it had its share of problems five years ago. You dealt with that too."

"I dealt – but how can I, I've been stuck in the Temple of Time each time... unless this happens after I go back again for the last time."

"Something like that. You'll understand closer to the time. Now Silver, allow me to enhance your magic further, making it possible for you to channel the spirit of the Hero within you in two ways – one of which you learned from the Great Fairy of Power outside."

She made a strange gesture with her hands that didn't seem to make much difference to me at first, until an orange light descended, wrapped around me, then vanished. I didn't feel any different.

"That hit me as well," Navi remarked. "I feel more powerful than I did before."

"You share some of Silver's abilities, little one," the Great Fairy explained. "But you weren't on the same kind of level as him. That evened it up slightly."

"So it wasn't something for me?" I asked.

"Not so. Face the exit of my fountain and swing your sword, Silver – the Master Sword, for it will not work for any other blade."

I drew it and made a slash in the air all in one movement. As the swing faced away from me, a phantom sword leapt from the Master Sword flying straight and true.

"Now that is useful," I remarked. "Good substitute for an arrow if I start to run out, I should think."

"Doubtless you will find it useful. This effect works on its own, but there are other ways to channel the spirit of the Hero. You will have to find those on your own, though they all work only with that blade. Now go forth Silver – the Zoras await your aid."

When I turned back to the fountain, she'd already gone.

"I wonder how exactly I'm meant to use this 'spirit of the Hero'," I mused.

"It'll come to you," Navi replied. "You've certainly shown your creativity with your sword. Maybe that's what you'll be passing on to the next Hero."

"Tails," I agreed. "I hope he makes good use of them."

No worries about that, as we know.

Despite my reservations about the idea, I decided it was at the very least fair to find Scourge and let him know he didn't have to wander aimlessly around the Fire Temple any more before I headed off to find out what had befallen the Zora people.

Farore's Wind, by now almost certainly the most over-used magic I'd picked up, took me back down to the temple and then once I found him up in the room I'd obtained the hammer from I was quickly taken there by it.

"Silver!" he exclaimed, jumping back. "Don't appear out of nowhere like that! You almost scared me out of my skin!"

"Only almost?" I quipped. "I'll have to do better next time."

"Very funny. What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want me to travel with you?"

"Oh, I just finished here in this temple so I thought I'd let you know – and offer you a quick way back out. That, and I changed my mind. I'd rather have you where I can keep an eye on you than constantly having to worry about where you are."

"You? Worried about me?" he said derisively. "Pull the other one."

"Well don't mention it or I'll come to my senses. Now, want a lift out or not?"

"Same way you got the Gorons out, no doubt," he said somewhat sourly. "It isn't going to work though."

"It doesn't use my mind, Scourge – it uses magic instead." Privately though I hoped that since the two came from the same source, this wouldn't work on him either.

"Oh, go on. Lets get this over with, if nothing else so I can get out of this oversized tunic."

I hadn't noticed before but his remark prompted me to look to see what he meant. The tunic, of course, was adult sized, and Scourge's Hylian image remained a child. He'd had to tuck it up a fair bit to make it fit him.

Somewhat to my slight disappointment, magic ignored the mental block on him allowing me to take him to the temple entrance. His image flickered slightly, but not enough to fail or to reveal what he looked like underneath.

"Have to go outside next," I told him. "Once there I'll get us up to the top, we'll go outside and then down to Kakariko."

"Why not do it in one leap?" he asked, not seeming to have noticed what had happened to him.

"Because it doesn't work that way. It's limited to the area I'm in."

Scourge did not look convinced but he did humour me. His apparent image flickered even worse after the second transport, momentarily revealing a green hedgehog underneath the image. Just like his mind, he looked identical to Sonic – except for the colour, and what he wore. It had been to brief to make out any more.

Again he appeared not to have noticed, watching me suspiciously as if expecting me to pull some kind of trick on him – which ironically I was, just not the way he was expecting me to.

Once outside the crater I took us right the way down Death Mountain, setting us down just around the corner from Kakariko. I didn't think it would be a good idea to startle the townsfolk by our appearance, let alone what happened to Scourge. This time he definitely noticed, though I also noticed his image seemed more resilient to my own, or maybe the Zora magic on their shortcut had weakened mine more.

It gave me the opportunity to see his real appearance better before the image finally managed to stabilise again, showing a black jacket worn over his green tunic with a flame on either arm, white gloves like... well, everyone else like me I've ever known, and footwear that matched his colour. It was interesting to see his own affections only appeared without the image, worn over the tunic he'd been given but otherwise unseen.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded, watching the effect before it settled again.

"Nothing to do with that," I lied. "All I did was bring you along with me."

"You knew this was going to happen, didn't you!"

"Don't be silly, if I'd known I would never have done it. It's bad enough _I_ get strange looks from the locals now they see me like this. You'd just make it worse."

"So how did you lose your Hylian appearance then?"

"I never had one to begin with," I lied again. "I turned into this a few years back."

"That's not what Ganondorf told me – he said you'd been hidden just like I had."

"That just proves he knows how to be wrong as well," I shrugged. "Might as well walk through town, it'll attract less attention and I want to check up on my horse anyway."

Scourge didn't seem convinced, but I pretended not to notice.

"Since when do you have a horse?"

"Since I won her off Ingo over at the ranch. I paid someone here to take care of her for me while I went up the mountain. Have to settle accounts anyway, there's no point in trying to take her up Zora's River."

"Oh, great. From the heat of a volcano to the cold of Zora's Domain," he complained, shrugging himself out of his tunic. He'd left his green one on underneath. "What am I going to do with this now? It's not like I'll need it again."

"Give it here, I'll store it for you."

"What about you?"

"I'll change later," I brushed it off. "It won't make all that much difference."

The people of Kakariko regarded Scourge with suspicion anyway as we passed through, but it was once again late evening so there were few people around. Given the reaction to him, I started to doubt they'd even notice if I'd made him show his real self.

I did check in with Epona, who was a little restless from having to wait, but well cared for at least. The sleepy stable hand assured me I had enough on the account to last at least another week if I needed it.

Since Zora's River was only a short walk from Kakariko I didn't use Farore's Wind again until we were actually on the way up the path beside the river. There was a distinctly cold breeze coming downriver toward us here, setting Scourge to shivering slightly. Oddly, the Goron tunic seemed to keep the cold away from me just as it had the worst of the heat, perhaps an unintended side effect.

I warped us up to the top of the river where the waterfall was still rushing past, though there were now chunks of ice occasionally rushing down to the water below, which also had ice starting to form on it.

Scourge's image gave out entirely this time, revealing the green hedgehog for all to see, now shivering even more in the definitely colder air that even I started to feel now. I started to suspect I knew what I'd find in Zora's Domain itself as I parted the waterfall with Zelda's Lullaby.


	38. Frozen Fire

"What happened to Scourge?" Tails asked, while Silver got himself a drink. It wasn't often he talked this much.

"I'm not entirely sure actually," he admitted. "Once he figured out he wasn't going to be much use in the Water Temple he stopped trying to follow me. I saw him a few times after then, usually so he could find out what I'd been up to, but the last time I saw him was just after I defeated Ganondorf, before I headed back in time. Just before I had to become your teacher, Tails. For all I know, he's still in Hyrule somewhere."

"I don't think so," Sonic disagreed. "They'd have talked about it, and I got the impression that we were the only ones like us they'd ever seen."

"You're forgetting something, Sonic," Silver sighed. "In the present, he still had the Hylian image – I'd only nulled it in the future."

"Surely that had to happen too though," Tails said.

"Of course it did, but I don't know what Scourge did. He might have decided to lay low somewhere. Certainly I never saw him in the two years after I finished off Ganondorf."

"When you went to Termina?"

"Right. Good thing I did too, otherwise it's probable the future wouldn't have happened anyway. I'll tell you about that in good time though, there's still plenty to go yet."

* * *

Inside Zora's Domain had frozen over completely. There were no Zoras, no rushing water providing the ever-present hiss that had been here before, not even the torches were lit. The waterfall looked like it had simply stopped in place, the ice around the base dipped around as if to show the impact on the water that had once lay beneath.

Frost lined the walls and stone paths making them slippery and treacherous. After I'd slipped once and Scourge, rather surprisingly, had quickly reached down and pulled me back up onto the path, I led the way more carefully than I had before.

The Zora shop was blocked off by a strangely warm kind of red ice that stubbornly refused to break even when hit with the Megaton hammer or melt no matter how strong a blast I threw at it from Din's Fire. Magic beyond what I knew was at work here.

The only other accessible place from here was the audience chamber where King Zora should be, and where the source of the winter wind was coming from. I'd felt a chill wind not long before I ventured into Jabu-Jabu's belly, and I suspected Ganondorf had enhanced that effect to cause this.

The audience chamber was similarly frozen over and devoid of life except for King Zora, who sat frozen in more red ice to one side of the frozen waterfall that led to Jabu-Jabu's lake.

"You know what Ganondorf has done, right?" I asked Scourge, sliding along the frozen water's surface down the cavern to the lake.

"What gave you that impression?" he chattered, handling the cold worse than I was.

"You knew what he was trying to do to the Gorons, didn't you?"

"I was in Goron City when Ganondorf attacked, that's all," he replied. "I was left out of it because I wasn't a Goron. Don't know anything about anywhere else though, except that he did something to some creature under the Kakariko well."

"I've met it," I said darkly, recalling the threat it had made. "So you actually have no idea what's going on then?"

"It's cold and this place is frozen over," he retorted. "What more do you want? I could lie if you want."

"I think I'll pass."

"Hey Silver," Navi called from up ahead. "You ought to see this."

We slid out of the cavern into the moonlit lake. It was only partly frozen over, a fair part of it still flowing freely within the confines of the deep lake, though snowfall had caused the level to rise slightly. It let us walk without slipping on the slushy snow on top of the ice to where the altar Jabu-Jabu had rested was.

Jabu-Jabu however, was gone. The lake somehow seemed at the same time larger, but also smaller without the Zora patron deity. I could only assume he'd gone somewhere safer before the trouble had gotten too serious – not that I could see a way he could have left.

A string of ice floes floated in the water, some larger than others, bobbing in the calm waters of the lake. They appeared to lead to the cavern I'd seen in one side – the one the icy wind had come from in the past. With the larger chunks closer to the cavern it was possible to reach it without needing to be me.

"I hate this," Scourge muttered. "You're going to go in there, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. It's the source of this ice, and it has to be cleared up. You don't have to come if you don't want to, but if you plan on keeping up with what I'm doing you'll have to bear it."

"How very considerate of you," he snapped, but followed all the same.

Out of at least some consideration for him, I chose not to fall back on simply flying up to the mouth of the cavern, taking the trip over the ice instead. Their slippy and sometimes uneven surface made it difficult especially on the smaller ones, and more than once one of us fell off. For me it was a simple matter to get on without getting dunked in the freezing waters; Scourge remained immune to me and so had to find alternatives. I used one of the two Deku Sticks I'd picked up way back to give him a hand back up, then used Din's Fire to help dry him out a bit. He backed away the first time I used it, but once he realised I was actually trying to help him he settled for warily watching it in case I pulled anything. He might not have been a friend, but he was travelling with me and that was reason enough for me to do such things.

Inside even just the mouth of the cavern and its initial tunnel there were deep snowdrifts, interspersed throughout with icy stalagmites jutting up, and fragile stalactites hanging down. Made it a practise to knock those down before I even got near them.

I kept Din's Fire in one hand, giving me an odd warmth there while I was chilled everywhere else. I wasn't going to just use it carelessly though, the red ice was resistant to it and in any case snow and ice was probably going to be easier to work with than more freezing waters.

Eventually the winding hallway opened into a frozen-floored cavern with frosted metal bars blocking the only exit on the other side. Four translucent statues of ice drifted around, apparently harmless at first until they all oriented on me and breathed out clouds of cold air toward me. They lacked range to reach me from the ice, and lacked life to breath once I'd sent a flame into each of them, causing the bars to lift.

We passed through another hallway into a second cavern, this one larger but with a great chunk of ice that was definitely not naturally formed, a cone in the center that rotated with two giant blades of ice on either side.

In here there were five silver rupees, not used as currency but as a kind of magic that marked progress. Navi explained them to us, then pointed out another line of bars up on a ledge that blocked our progress, suggesting that if we collected the five rupees it'd unlock – if we managed to avoid getting chopped up by the blades of ice. There were also two caverns hidden behind some red ice, but since we had no way of dealing with that I barely noticed them.

I did try melting the ice blades, but while they were not red ice, they too stubbornly refused to melt.

"Got an idea," Scourge said, trying to mask the effect of the cold. "I can run faster than that thing can move. If you break the stalagmites over by that one," he gestured to one almost hidden in them. "I'll collect it and the four around the blade. You get that one up there on your way up to the ledge, and if it doesn't open I'll turn over my four to you."

"You're helping me? I thought-"

"It's cold and I don't want to be here, so just do it Silver," he said plaintively. "The sooner we get out of here the better."

I shattered the stalagmites on my way up, simply floating as the silver rupee was hanging in mid-air away from the ledge anyway, then waited. Scourge kept his word, becoming a blue exactly as Sonic would have – though in green, of course – to collect the other four, easily evading the blades. He needn't have worried about giving them to me as once all four were collected they flashed, disappeared and caused the bars to retract to let us progress.

That led us down another hallway, past more stalagmites and stalactites to yet another cavern. The main part of this cavern was on raised rock pillars, some connected by more stone, others only had jutting crags with more stone on the ice underneath that had collapsed.

"Ice Keese," I muttered, reaching for my bow. "As if Fire Keese weren't bad enough."

"Let me," Scourge said, roughly pushing me aside. He pointed at the nearest one and said, "Drop dead, by order of the King."

And it did.

"When did you learn that?" Navi asked.

"When I made my deal with Ganondorf, of course. He arranged it so I wouldn't have to worry about the various monsters while I tried to keep track of you. Won't work on you or on a Hylian or Gerudo though, so its use is limited."

"Useful here though," I noted. "Looks like we'll have to climb up this ledge here."

"In full view of more of those things? I think not," Scourge told me firmly. He slid around on the ice, repeating his actions for each of the Ice Keese he spotted and even some more ice statutes, or Freezards as Navi called them. She helped him find the ones that kept evading him once he explained he had to have line of sight or it wouldn't work, then when he was satisfied we finally climbed up.

Over on one of the more distant platforms was a large chest encased in red ice, but what caught our attention more was a large blue pot that had a similarly icy blue flame shooting out of it. It was easy to reach it atop these platforms as they were covered in snow and not ice.

When we reached it Scourge held out his hands to it to warm them, only to draw them back sharply with a startled oath. When I repeated I found out why, this fire didn't radiate heat, it gave out cold.

"I get it now. The red ice is warm, so it won't get melted by heat, only a cold fire – this. That's what it's here for."

"I'm so happy for you," Scourge said. "So we can defrost that chest and the fat Zora, what good does that do you?"

"There's another route we can take that needs this to defrost it... if I can figure out how to carry it."

"Catch it in a bottle?" Navi suggested. "I don't think you're meant to move this pot around, and you can't touch it yourself, so it seems to be the only way."

"Right," I agreed, then glanced over at Scourge having an idea. I took out one bottle and with Din's Fire created a normal flame in there, then corked the bottle and handed it to him. "I want it back when we leave, mind," I warned him, then used my other two bottles to capture some of the blue fire.

Scourge took the first bottle off me gratefully, keeping it close to him to ward off the chill while I defrosted the red ice around the chest, which contained a map of the cavern. It didn't look like it was a large place and there was no skull marking, so it seemed unlikely this was the place the next sage would awaken. If I'd known where the Water Temple was before, I could have simply ignored this place and gone directly there – unless this was necessary. Coincidences in Hyrule rarely are.

I refilled the bottle on the way back, keeping two full with the blue fire as we headed back to the room with the spinning ice blades to open the next route, first taking the eastern hallway.

Here there were more stalagmites on their own with normal Keese hidden behind them. This time rather than let Scourge handle them I experimented with the phantom sword ability the Great Fairy had given me, shooting them down with that instead, smashing some of the stalagmites in the process.

Behind some of them was another pot of blue fire, and nearby another chest encased in red ice that contained a strange, almost transparent blue stone.

"That's magic in crystal form," Navi identified it. "I could be wrong – I don't know much about magic, after all – but I think that's for your arrows."

"Ice Arrows?" I remarked. "I can't see a use for them, but maybe they'll be useful somewhere."

Once again I refilled the empty bottle from the blue flame and went back to the spinning blades room to open the other passage, as this one had been a dead end.

This one led us to a more artificial seeming cavern, a large square room with a floor made completely of ice carved into neat squares. A large cube of ice was on the same level as us, while the floor itself was lower down. On the opposite wall was another blue flame, while above were more Ice Keese – until Scourge told them to drop dead as well.

The giant ice cube moved easily at my mental touch, but didn't stop so readily, colliding with one of the many stubby pillars of ice dotted about the room. After I'd moved it once, several pieces of the floor dropped away to reveal a black pit beneath.

It was clear I had to move this block of ice into a position I could use it to reach the southern exit, or at least so Scourge could. Each time I moved it around more of the floor fell away to make things more complicated, until I made a mistake and it dropped down the gap.

"Oh, nice going," Scourge said sarcastically. "Now what?"

As if to answer that, the floor rose back up again, the ice cube flowing up out of it exactly where it had started from.

"That help?" I replied. "It looks like every move drops a part of the floor away, and there's only so many moves before there's no other choice but to reset it like this."

"So plan ahead," Navi said. "Work backward from where you need it to be until you figure it out."

That was simpler than trying to work forward through it. Once I figured out the right directions I discovered something else – only wrong moves caused the floor to drop away. It took me only five moves to put it in place without a single piece of floor dropped, allowing us to slide over the ice to reach it and the door beyond.

The room on the other side was very different to anywhere else. The walls were black, but glittered with uncountable pinpricks of blue light, almost like stars, making their own games of shapes and patterns. Ice grew out of the snowy floor, not as stalagmites but as crystalline shards.

"Something's here," Navi warned, which kind of spoiled the effect the room was having.

Scourge hung back by the door, leaving it to me while I drew out the Master Sword and shook my shield down into place, warily heading through the room. Close to the middle with an echoing howl a white Wolfos leapt out from behind one of the ice crystals, claws swinging wildly for me. I managed to evade the blow, then on an impulse without thinking why I jumped up, pushing magic out into the blade. The blade struck not the Wolfos but the ground before me, the impact enhanced by the magic to fling the Wolfos into the same crystals it had leapt out of, the sharp points defeating it instantly. This was another skill I later taught Tails – the Jump Strike.

With its fall a large chest appeared, containing a pair of boots similar to my own but with heavy metal attachments on the bottom that made it a struggle just to lift them. Like other things, once put in that ever useful pouch, the weight was gone.

"Silver," Scourge called. "Who's that?"

"Nice to see you again Sheik," I said, having sensed her presence. "I was wondering when I'd next see you."

"Did you meet the other Hero?" she asked simply.

"Of course. We talked a little, but he didn't recognise me. Did you reach what you were looking for?"

"Naturally. In the desert at world's end. Exactly where it was said to be. But you need not concern yourself with that yet. I have another warp song for you that will take you to Lake Hylia, and the Water Temple beneath – which is why you needed those boots. You cannot simply swim down there."

"Even with them I can't, Sheik. I can't hold my breath that long."

"Speak with the King of the Zoras before you go to Lake Hylia then. He will surely help you."

She took out her harp from whatever concealment hid it from view, playing the song that I then mimicked on my Ocarina to ensure I'd learned it right, the Serenade of Water, then she left me with one last warning.

"In the Water Temple beware of he who is not who he seems to be. To defeat him, you must first conquer yourself."

Then she vanished into another Deku Nut flash.

"That confirms it," I said. "That was all we needed to be here for. Come here Scourge and I'll warp us back outside, then we'll defrost King Zora and see what Sheik thinks he can do for us."

"Or for you, at least," he said sourly, reluctantly handing back the bottle with the still burning red flame inside that had warmed him.


	39. Into the Depths

**A/N:** In which we get our first view of the Water Temple. You wouldn't think that's something noteworthy, but this place has been hanging in my mind being a pest since I started writing this. Silver's natural abilities made the Hookshot obsolete which is why it didn't appear before, but it's also an essential tool in the Water Temple. This means that he would have been able to do a fair bit of sequence-breaking in the temple alone, let alone getting the Longshot - a similarly obsolete item.

So the Water Temple, while it will still be recognizable, is getting a makeover Starlion style, to counteract Silver. There's going to be something else in the Required Item chest for the Temple when he reaches it, an idea taken from Majora's Mask and the Great Bay Temple (See the item he got in the last chapter for a hint of what) and a whole load of differences designed to make life hard for Silver.

Lets just hope he doesn't find out I'm responsible and come after me for it.

* * *

Back in Zora's Domain I defrosted King Zora, who was understandably grateful, recognising me and writing a royal note that, if we reopened the shop, would tell the Zora shopkeeper to hand me a Zora Tunic free of charge. I did offer to defrost some of Zora's Domain for him, but he pointed out it would just freeze over again.

"You're going to make me buy my own again, aren't you?" Scourge said shrewdly as we slid carefully down the paths to reach the frozen Zora shop.

"I haven't decided yet," I answered. "King Zora didn't tell us what it does for me."

"That's obvious, after what that Sheik guy told you. You'll be able to breath underwater with it."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"I thought we'd made a believer out of you, Silver," Navi commented. "Magic can do that, you know."

"We'll see," I said, defrosting the shop. There was a shivering and hungry Zora inside – I knew he was hungry because the shelf of bottled fish was now empty and though it was hard to tell, he definitely looked hopefully at us both.

His face fell when I wordlessly gave him the note, and he forked over the blue Zora Tunic without argument.

"Happen to know what's special about it?" Scourge asked for me while I put it away – I wasn't going to change in front of anyone else. Clothing was the custom here, even if Zora's rarely respected it themselves.

"Lets you breath water as if it was air," the shopkeeper shrugged. "Standard fare for Zora-made wear."

"Told you so," Scourge sighed to me. "How much are they?"

"Three-hundred rupees."

"Thought so," he sighed again. "I don't have enough stored up to get one of these myself after having to get my own Goron Tunic."

I considered the situation for a moment, then decided maybe I could help both of them, at no cost to me, picking out my three bottles. The flame still burned in one, but I handled that by lighting a nearby torch with it so it still came in useful, then handed the bottles to Scourge.

"Run on downstream to where it isn't too cold and catch a fish in each of these," I told him. "Bring them back here, and if you'll agree," I nodded to the Zora, "We'll make it an even exchange."

"The tunic won't fit him," the shopkeeper warned, but his expression was clearly hopeful again.

"No worries there, the Goron Tunic worked fine tucked up a bit," Scourge shrugged. "Back in a few," he added, took the bottles off me, then blurred out.

"You're a generous young... uh... man," he faltered, realising it sounded odd given he was talking to a hedgehog.

"Just doing the right thing. I can't imagine it's been comfortable in here without being able to get out." I thought for a few moments, then said, "I'll be back in a few minutes – I think I'll light the other torches around here."

"You can't do that with just flint and tinder," the Zora warned. "They're magic torches, needing a magic flame."

"Don't worry," I threw back. "I've got it covered."

I knew where most of the torches were, of course. I'd passed all but three on my way through Zora's Domain today. It was an easy task to light those ones, pausing to explain to King Zora what I was doing while I lit the torches nearby him.

"You never cease to be remarkable, noble Silver," he noted. "Not only do you wield magic fire, but you have already understood what it is that caused us to succumb to the ravages of the ice cavern."

"I have?"

"The torches can only be lit by a magic flame because they are inherently magic – only other magic can put them out again. In relighting them with fire magic, you will reverse the effect of the cavern on Zora's Domain, and my people will be free to return... though that does not help Lake Hylia."

That explained a few things. The torches had been extinguished, so it had frozen over. I was re-lighting them with the right kind of fire, so they would undo that.

"What do you mean about Lake Hylia?" I asked him before I headed for the last torches.

"Have you not been aware of what has happened? In any case, I will explain – though you will defrost our realm, the passage linking us to Lake Hylia will remain frozen over as there is no water on the other side – only the presence of water makes the magic work. Lake Hylia has been drained of much of its water, we can only assume because of Ganondorf's influence at the Water Temple beneath it."

"Good thing that's my next stop then. I'll have things back to normal in no time, your Majesty."

"You do, and we will find ourselves indebted to you once again, noble Silver. Are you still sure there is nothing we can do for you – such as breaking the curse which binds you to your current form?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm good for now. I'll let you know if that changes. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I've only got a few more torches left down in what used to be the lake below."

King Zora gave a brief royal wave to acknowledge that, perhaps because his considerable girth prevented him from simply nodding, or maybe just because he was the King. Who knows?

I didn't exactly dive off the top of the waterfall again to get down, but I did use it as a shortcut to get back down again quicker, stopping before I hit the ice. There was one torch here, the base frozen in what had once been shallows, the other two were behind the frozen waterfall. Once the easier one had been relit, I carefully melted the waterfall, only melting as much as I needed to so I could reach the two in the small area just beyond. I didn't particularly feel like bringing the whole waterfall down on my head.

There was no immediately apparent effect once I'd lit those last torches, but the ice had been here for a long time and had built up. It would take time for the magic to reassert itself and remove the ice, and until that happened I had things to do.

While Scourge was busy fishing and I had a few moments I changed into the Zora Tunic, feeling the shockingly cold air now that the Goron Tunic no longer protected me not only from heat but apparently cold as well, and understood a little better why Scourge had handled it so badly. The torches went some way toward countering that, but it'd be some time before the chill faded properly.

Aside from the blue colouring and its typical magic causing it to fit me properly – why that didn't work on Scourge, I wasn't sure – there appeared to be nothing different about this Tunic to my Kokiri green. Then again, it was only really meant to work in water, so I'd have to wait to find out how it would work.

"Suits you," the shopkeeper noted when I returned, though Scourge had not yet. "Have you ever been to Termina?"

"Not yet," I answered, overlooking the Great Fairy's revelation that I had technically been there already.

"Well if you do, be sure to look up my cousin – he's the lead guitarist in the Zora band there, the Indigo-gos. Should at least hear them once, especially if you get to see the Carnival of Time that happens in Clock Town."

As it happens I did much more than just meet his cousin Mikau. He gave me an entirely new perspective on the Zora people. Funny how these 'remarkable coincidences' aren't just a Hylian thing, isn't it?

Scourge finally returned at that point, handing over the three bottles, each one filled with as many fish as he could fit in them. The Zora quickly transferred them to his own bottles before returning mine to me, with a second Zora Tunic for Scourge to use.

"Generosity?" I asked him as we left. "Isn't that a little out of character for you?"

"I didn't do it because it was my idea, I just knew it was the sort of thing you'd do. Who lit these torches?"

"I did. They're special torches that can only be lit, or extinguished by magic. They're what held off the ice before, and what in due course will drive it back again now."

"See what I mean? Sorta thing you'd do, and without being asked at that. You're too good for your own good, know that?"

"Being nice has its benefits, Scourge. Like getting you a free tunic."

"Yeah, I noticed that, but... this Water Temple is gonna be your next conquest, right? And Sheik said you needed those metal boots to get in. I don't reckon I'm gonna be any use to you there, and I also don't think I care to tag along constantly. I haven't stolen anything for almost a week 'cause of you."

"Good. I'll make a decent person of you yet."

"Get real!" he snorted. "I'm not giving up my ways. Just after the last Temple I reckon it'll only get more risky from here on, and I'd rather let you take the risks and catch up later than have to take them with you."

"You know where to find me if you change your mind," I shrugged. "More or less, anyway."

"Yeah, just follow the sickening trail of good deeds. Want to give me back my Goron Tunic now, or do I have to steal it off you before I leave?"

I fished it out of the pouch and handed it over, then without another word he was gone.

"You know, I think I'm actually going to miss him," I murmured.

"Him? Are you feeling alright Silver?" Navi asked.

"A little cold, but that's to be expected. It's just that with him around, things seemed somehow more lively. Not that you aren't good company of course."

"Should think so, compared to a common thief. Bet he hasn't though of how people will treat him now they get to see his real self."

"Probably not. We'll find out next time we're in Kakariko. What do you say I take is downstream and then over the Lake Hylia?"

"Not going to give Epona a chance to take you there, then?"

"It's late at night, and I don't feel all that tired just yet. Let her sleep."

* * *

Lake Hylia, true to the Zora King's words, was almost completely drained. A block of ice filled the passage that should have led to Zora's Domain, shown clearly in the scant late night light now the water was gone. Various marine life appeared to have been left abandoned on the dried up land between the old shore and new, while some appeared to have survived in the tiny pond of water at the bottom.

Bobbing on what was now the water's surface were two pointed stone pillars that though they were attached to nothing, were still held in place somehow. Through the little water and light between I could see a large metal grate just beyond them, and a small blue gem just above it.

I already realised I wouldn't be able to use much of my equipment underwater, though I was determined to try with some anyway. Underwater swordsmanship wouldn't be easy, but I had a few theories that might help – if I got the chance to try them.

As it was, I made my way down to the edge of the water, exchanged my boots for what Navi had come to call the Iron Boots, and clanked down into the water, prevented from rising up in the water by their massive weight. It was an effort to walk in them of course, and I started to wonder if I couldn't put my theories to work at making these heavy boots needed much less often. They were useful, to be sure, but having to constantly change boots would become inconvenient – not to mention awkward underwater, since they might end up stuck on the bottom while I floated back up if I couldn't get back to them in time.

The first clear challenge here was of course, getting in. How was I going to trigger this blue gem underwater? The bow certainly wouldn't work, but what about an arrow shot out of a bow of my mind instead?

It lacked the force of an arrow shot out of water, but it was enough to do the trick, catching the gem and unlocking it from its position to drift upward, locking with a clunk in a new, higher place. With it, the grating rose slowly up, allowing me into the Water Temple.

Once I'd clunked in a ways, the passage I was following abruptly stopped, leaving the water's surface above me – and I suddenly realised, I was breathing without a problem. The Zora Tunic was doing its work so well, I hadn't even noticed!

With some care, I changed my boots back over, keeping tight hold on the boots so I wouldn't have to dive back down to retrieve them. It wasted a bit of time, but I wasn't just going to leave them behind. I did remind myself firmly I had to come up with a better way of handling this when the need arose though.

Then I surfaced and crossed the short passage into the central room of the Water Temple to get my first glimpse of what lay in store.

Naturally, water was everywhere. The water level here was so high it was lapping at my feet even on this highest part of it, leading around a giant central column in a square ring. Two Blue Tektites stood on a ledge around that column at the same level as me, one unaware of me the other watching me with its single blue eye.

Part of the ledge was not the same though, a box that fit perfectly in a gap between one side and the other, bobbing with the water. It was hard to tell what it was made of, as it looked like stone, but surely stone would sink?

On the left wall there was a narrow alcove above the level I was on with a door behind, rendered inaccessible by a clearly powerful current that came out of the ceiling in the alcove and fell down into the water ring, though it appeared not to affect the water level itself. There was another door further along the same wall on the same level as me that was locked and had another box before it that would make it difficult to access if the water level changed.

To the right was an opening not covered by a door that did not have a box before it, appearing so far to be the first place I could go. The column itself blocked my seeing what lay on the other side, so I shot the Tektites with two arrows each to deal with them, then headed over to the ledge around the central column to look beyond before I took that east route.

There was a broad open area on the north side of the room, opposite where I'd entered. There appeared to be nothing there except for the door with the large golden lock and chains of the Boss door, but even if I had the Boss Key there was no way I was going to be able to get through the current there either – it was a solid wall of water, like the alcove I'd seen earlier blasting its way downwards and into the water with a foaming crash. If I tried to pass through that, I'd just be swept away.

That of course meant I had to head east, but I paused as I crossed the ring of water, looking downwards. There was even more below, doors and places on at least two other levels. I could use the Iron boots and sink down to investigate, or test a theory that would let me pick what level I sank to – if I came up with one – but those were routes I wasn't sure if I could take just yet. This one was one I knew I could.

I had a feeling just from this cursory look into the Temple's depths that this would be a long and hard adventure just in here alone. I just hoped I found a map soon enough that I wouldn't get lost – assuming it was waterproofed enough to look at it whenever I was underwater too.


	40. Double Trouble

The only route I could take without having to sink or swim down to lower levels was the eastward route, and even that required some swimming. Since the Zora Tunic allowed me to breath underwater perfectly fine, I chose not to bother with the Iron boots, diving into the water and using the top of the water-filled passage to get by quicker than swimming.

At the end was a large red stone block. Without sinking to the floor I had no traction to shift this stone physically, but I've never had to worry about that being a problem. The stone required a bit more effort to shift because of the water on either side until it clunked against something on the opposite side. While I could have kept on moving it once Navi gathered an idea of what it was like on the other sides of the stone block, I chose to leave it there. Not that I didn't trust her to guide it safely, but she'd shown under the Kakariko Well that she couldn't focus on an area and the living things there at the same time. Even I would have had trouble, given the different approaches needed.

That meant I had to go back and swim downwards. I don't swim all that well normally, but normally I have to worry about breathing as well. By the time I pulled myself dripping from the water passage, I'd come up with a new idea that might help me.

I shot a Tektite – either one of the original two revived, or another one that had wandered in – then put the idea into practise, creating a kind of bubble around me with just enough physical presence that I'd be able to control its movement. It worked well enough in the air, proving the theory and showing it turned out to be a far more efficient way of getting around than simply floating – as long as I didn't need to go up or down.

In the water that changed, as you have movement in all three dimensions much easier then. I had to push down on the bubble a lot harder to overcome the air inside trying to rise to the surface at first until I remembered I could breath the water too. That made it easier to manage, allowing me to control my descent and direction with just a light touch in the right place. It even afforded me some protection when I reached the bottom and a curious spiked creature attempted to poke me only to bounce off. It might have _looked_ like a bubble, but it certainly wasn't.

Alright, yes, with complete control over how far up or down I went in that bubble I could have picked the middle level to stop at, but you know what I'm like – I try to do things in the same order a more ordinary person might, and for now that meant doing the same thing as if I wore the Iron boots. This was just a matter of convenience.

So I'm stubborn. It's in my nature.

This meant when I touched down on the sandy lowest level, ignoring the spiked creatures attempts to attack me, I was right beside another passage leading east – and what was more, now I was down here I could sense the presence of a Zora – and a Sage-to-be at that.

I nudged the back of the bubble to send me down that passage, following its turns to come to a small room with a familiar looking Zora woman stood in there. Grown up with the fins all adult Zoras had and the same pair of blue earings floating beside her ears that I'd seen before, there was no mistaking Princess Ruto or what her mischievous smile meant.

"Late again, Silver!" she grinned. "It's not polite to keep your fiancée waiting, you know."

"I- I'm not-" I spluttered, but Ruto just laughed.

"I told you what you were getting into when I gave you the Zora Sapphire," she reminded me. "You can't expect me to just let you go back on that."

I managed to find my voice and get out, "This isn't the time to be talking about that!"

"No, that comes after we've got your new home defrosted and the lake back to normal."

"Actually I already started that. Zora's Domain I mean, I've come here to do something about the lake."

"You really shouldn't be proving how useful you are if you don't want to marry me, you know," she laughed. "Did you see Sheik, by the way? He saved me from the ice so I could come here to do something about the lake."

"How convenient," I murmured, knowing by now that she was going to be the Sage of Water, and that having her here at the Temple, despite her matrimonial insistences, would save me having to go looking for her. "I guess that means we'll have to work together then. You probably know this place better than I do."

"I would if I had a map. I know Jabu-Jabu's belly, not this place. But you got one thing right – you're not leaving me behind this time either. I waited for you long enough, I'm not letting you get away now!"

Somehow I found myself more afraid of her than the Temple. She was one strong-willed Zora, and I wouldn't have put it past her to find a way to make good on what she said as well as be the Sage at the same time.

She started to swim up, allowing me to see the barred door behind her. I followed, passing through a room above with a cracked wall showing something beyond that I paused to examine – there was a chest hidden there. But a bomb wouldn't detonate underwater... would it?

Ruto watched, oddly patiently, from the water's surface above, a small opening in the floor of another room above this one no doubt. I surfaced next to her, sitting on the edge of that while I thought my way through another idea.

"You won't be able to break it," she told me. "Not with the water there. I understand there's meant to be a mechanism somewhere in the Temple for changing to water level, but I haven't found it yet. Or if I have, I haven't made it work yet."

"Actually, I think I might be able to do something," I replied, ducking my head underwater to judge the distance. "I should have just long enough."

"For what? You don't need to breath underwater with that tunic."

"But this does," I replied, taking out a bomb. I quickly formed a bubble around it, filled with air rather than water unlike the one I'd been using, then swiftly dropped it into the water and held it close to the crack.

I'd made the bubble only hold out water, so anything else could leave as if nothing was there. The bomb exploded, the wall shattered, and the water rose a ways with the shockwave, splashing us both. I felt the detonation against the bubble my mind had held, but as it hadn't been made to hold that, there was no actual harm done.

"Oh, very nice," Ruto nodded appreciatively, then dived down swimming easily to the chest beyond to take out a silver key. For a moment – just a moment – I wished I was a Zora myself so I could swim so easily and not need the tunic. Then I realised that if I was, most of my argument for avoiding her advances would have gone out the window.

Navi meanwhile knocked the side of my head to get my attention. "If you're not interested in her, why do you keep watching her?" she suggested slyly, then before I answered, went on, "I think she's wrong – she did find the mechanism. Look on this wall here."

She flew over to a blue stone in the wall, engraved with the all too familiar Triforce symbol. Without thinking I extended a hand to Ruto to help her out of the water, then went to examine it myself.

"I've seen those around the Temple," Ruto said. "My father told me they were the mark of the Hylian Royal Family, and that it was only to be expected they'd leave their mark in the sacred Temples."

"I think it's much more than that," I replied, taking out the Ocarina of Time, shaking the last water out of it and playing Zelda's lullaby.

A great rushing of water followed, along with the water we'd just come from draining away. I realised if I'd done this before, there would have been no need for the bubble to blow up the wall. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

"That must be why I overlooked them," Ruto admitted. "I know the song, of course, but I thought it was only needed to enter Zora's Domain."

"We've found it useful all over Hyrule," Navi told her. "Careful in the next room, Silver – there's more of the spike creatures we saw earlier."

"Nothing to be concerned about then," I shrugged, heading through the nearby door with Ruto naturally following right behind. I wonder if it might have been a bad idea to go with her.

The door barred behind us, locking us into the room with four of the spiked balls. One of them rolled toward us, but with an absent flip of a hand I caused it to fly across the room and hit one wall, its own spikes holding it there until it retracted them and turned into a small brown cocoon, leaving it vulnerable. A single arrow shot at it defeated it, and the other three quickly followed the same way, causing a chest to appear and the bars to retract again.

Ruto went to open this one as well, taking out the rolled piece of parchment that was the dungeon's map.

"This place is bigger than I thought," she murmured after looking at it for a moment. "I've been to a lot of these rooms, but there wasn't much I could do in many of them."

"That must be where I come in then," I said. "These Temples always seem to require a Hero's touch."

"And to think I get to be married to you. My own personal Hero." I winced at that, hiding it by turning back to the door before she looked. She hadn't changed a bit in seven years – except possibly to become even more determined. It didn't help that unlike everyone else she knew what she saw was what I really was, and even that hadn't put her off.

I saw immediately that it wasn't going to be safe for Ruto to try to head back to the now drained room where I'd met her, not even by climbing down the holes in each floor because the one below was larger, and therefore too far away to reach. I was going to have to carry her again.

Ruto, of course, saw nothing wrong with this, like she had in Jabu-Jabu's belly simply sitting down on the floor to make it more convenient for me. It was strangely disorienting, carrying her down the same way I had in Jabu-Jabu's belly, but with both of us seven years older and in a completely different place. It felt almost as if past and present were colliding – or present and future, depending on your perspective.

Now that the water was gone, one of the two torches on either side of the barred door had become lit, while the other remained unlit. I'd seen these torches out in the main area of the Temple, similarly unlit while underwater and idly wondered if these were also magic torches, only to be lit with magic fire that would extinguish and restore themselves with the changes in water level.

Either way, a brief pulse from Din's Fire created a flame on top of the other torch, unbarring the door to let us into another room, this one filled with oversized clams.

"Shell Blades," Navi said. "Only weak when they open up and face you, otherwise they're practically invulnerable. They'll try to attack you with the spikes on the back."

"Or you could use that magic fire again," Ruto said. "I've heard that they can't stand that even if they're all closed up."

"Can't hurt to try," I shrugged, and sent another pulse of fire through the room. The Shell Blades flinched back from the fire even closed, then like almost everything else, burned away when defeated. I didn't even turn a hair at this, it had become so commonplace. Hyrule does that to you.

Another chest appeared, though a small one this time, and before I made a move Ruto had already moved to open it, collecting another small key for me.

With nowhere else to go, we headed back out into the main room. Two more blue Tektites were wandering around in the same area as the first two I'd seen. I started to wonder if these were actually the same ones, constantly being revived.

"I think we should go west next," Ruto decided, looking over the map. "I went there myself, but there was a huge stone block in the way. I'm sure you'd be able to move it far easier than I ever could," she added winsomely.

I chose not to answer that except to follow her advice, crossing the damp, sandy floor easier without the water around. The boxes that had been floating on the surface before were now left on that floor, leaving easier accesses to several doors.

Water still came down from above though, coming from the two waterfalls I'd seen before. The one from the alcove had cut out a small trench that led it to a deeper pool, which was also supplied by the wider crash of the greater one barring the way to the boss door. Down here though it was much easier to cross these barriers, not to reach the places they restricted access to.

It was a simple matter to push the block out the way to allow access again. Ruto might have had some influence in the matter, as I didn't use my mind to shift it, pushing it by main strength instead. Not that it made much difference except to prove that even after my adventure thus far, I was far from being in the kind of shape Tails would reach through his. Physical strength is just not my forte.

This led us to a room beyond that was split in two by a wide gap, a stream of water running through the bottom. There was a small fountain coming out of a grating in the floor, another blue Tektite on the far side watching us, and a crystal switch nearby.

The switch caused the small fountain to rise up, effectively becoming a kind of platform. The force of the water would certainly prevent us from falling, but it wasn't going to be stable enough to cross on.

After a moment's thought I took out the bow and the small blue crystal from the ice cavern.

"Navi, do you know how exactly this works?" I asked.

"I think so," she answered, examining the crystal. "You have to touch it to an arrow before you use it, using it like you would Din's Fire to turn the arrow into an ice arrow."

"What are you thinking of, Silver?" Ruto asked. "Freezing the Tektite?"

"Not exactly. I'll shoot it afterwards. Lets see how this turns out first."

I prepared an Ice Arrow, making the silver switch activated by hitting it, then pointed the arrow at where the rising water would be. When it reached full height I loosed the arrow.

The arrow vanished into the water with a bright blue flash that had the exact effect I wanted – it froze the top of the water into a solid platform of ice. I shot normal arrows at the Tektite, then triggered the switch one more time to make it bring the ice platform back up, allowing us to cross without having to trouble my mind at all, except for the magic supplied for the arrow.

Beyond the next door was a room with more water, fast-flowing with powerful currents. A metal dragon's head stuck out of the wall underwater, moving around with a crystal switch held in its mouth that, at a guess, I assumed would trigger the barred door opposite.

Rather than try to fight with the timings, I took us all over to the door then used the bubble-bomb trick again, holding it tightly in place against the currents to trigger the switch and open the door easily.

Once again, we were led to a small room with Shell Blades in, easily dealt with to acquire another small key. It's kind of a pattern; collect as many small keys as possible, use them to get the key items and reach the boss. Ruto had without realising fallen along with that.

The map told us there was nothing else this way so it was time to head back. When we reached the room I'd created the ice platform in, there was something else waiting for us on the far side from us – a silver hedgehog wearing a tunic and cap identical to my own except for their dark black colour. He even had a sword and shield bucked on his back, just like I did.

"How remarkable," he murmured in a voice identical to my own, then vanished.

Ruto and Navi both stared after him, then looked to me. I couldn't say anything, but I knew one thing. This was the third hedgehog in Hyrule – the one I'd detected seven years before, when I'd been searching Lake Hylia for Ruto.

He had not looked friendly.


	41. Tricky Temple Trials

The appearance of my doppelgänger disturbed me, implying many things I really did not want to think about. If he and I ended up in a fight, there could be all kinds of issues. Never before have two like me ever gone against each other – because as far as I knew, I was the only one. I'd never come up against anyone else with my capabilities, only a rare few like Navi who worked with me.

"Could that be the one Sheik warned us about?" Navi suggested as we retraced the remaining steps to the central room.

"It could be, or it could be a very good deception," I replied. "I sensed nothing from him as if he wasn't there, but that proves nothing – if he is the one, he can do anything I can, and I know how to conceal my presence from others. I've never needed to, but I know how to do it."

"Who is he?" Ruto asked.

"Me, I think," I replied. "He certainly looks like it, but... I honestly can't say for sure. I've only ever touched on his mind once before, and that was seven years ago when I was looking for you. His mind was very familiar, but I couldn't see why. I never considered something like this."

"Maybe you can find him again?" Navi asked thoughtfully. "If you found him here once before, you should be able to do it again, right?"

"Possibly, if he's not concealing himself. I'll give it a try. Keep watch, you two. I'll need to concentrate for this."

I reached out, taking care to protect my own mind to be safe as I searched the Temple. I didn't want to leave myself open to him, whoever or whatever he was, because if he was against me all it would take is one good mental attack and I'd effectively become a cabbage.

Unsurprisingly, the first minds I touched were the deep blue of Ruto and sharp white Navi gave off, but I knew these minds and started to range further away.

I could feel plenty of monster life in the Temple, and one curious mind that managed to elude me for some time. Once I finally figured out it was what lay in wait behind the boss key door, I decided not to worry about it and moved on.

Some marine life told me I'd gone too far and found the remains of Lake Hylia outside, but it also gave me a reference point to work with, allowing me to recall where I'd found the other mind before and find my way back there. There was nothing there now. As far as my search was concerned, we were the only three here.

Bringing my mind back though, my own voice came to me – or rather, his voice obviously. _"Did you really expect me to leave my guard down?"_

_"Did _you_ expect me not to try?" _I responded.

_"Point. You're worrying over nothing though. I'm... nothing to do with Ganondorf."_

_"That doesn't mean I shouldn't consider you a threat, otherwise why would you hide from me?"_

_"Find me, and I'll answer you. But don't expect me to make things easy for you. I've been waiting for this for seven years, and I've had plenty of time to prepare for you."_

_"If you're nothing to do with him, why would you want to do that?"_ I asked, but there was no answer.

"Well?" Navi asked, noticing me open my eyes again.

"He's in here somewhere, but he's concealing his mind from me. He talked to me though, said he doesn't plan to make things easier for me. I don't know what he'll do or why yet, but we'll find him if we keep at this."

"I wonder if he's just trying to block you out, and if I could find him?"

"Don't do it, Navi," I warned. "He's skilled enough to contact me without revealing himself. If you go looking you'll leave yourself completely open. Even if I taught you how to guard your mind, it wouldn't stand up to the kind of things he or I could throw at you."

"What should we do then?"

"Deal with anything he throws in our path but otherwise ignore him until we find him in person," I replied. "Where to next, Ruto?"

"Open the locked door on the south side of this central pillar," she replied. "There's other routes too, but there's a basement in there that leads to a room with a key symbol, and so far every time there's been one of those there's been a key."

"Use a key to get a key? Seems a bit redundant to me."

"Isn't there a chance you'd have to access the pillar anyway? Then you might find a door that needs a key, only to find you haven't got one."

"Alright, I get the idea," I grumbled, leading the way around to the door she'd picked out.

Inside the central column was a series of ledges leading upwards, along with one in front of us that ended in another red box – underneath which was the entrance to the basement Ruto had mentioned. Another waterfall came down from the top of the room, though lighter than the previous ones. It rained down straight on the box, the force of it preventing me from simply lifting it aside.

An ice arrow shot into the top of the waterfall froze over the grating it had come through, still dripping water but nothing on the scale of the waterfall before. After that it was a simple matter to shift the box onto the spikes on either side of us.

The basement was still flooded underneath the box, prompting another use of my underwater bubble for easier getting around. Ruto, of course, simply swum along behind instead. At the far end of the narrow passage was a low room with a metal grating covering a corner of the rooms instead of the ceilings, above one a chest and the other Shell Blades and more spiked balls.

A nearby crystal switch was triggered by a somewhat sluggish swing of the sword, the water flowing slower around it than air had. I came up with an on the spot idea of creating a current through the water just in front of the sword to try to let it pass through easier. It worked, but it was still not as good as using it out of water.

The crystal switch released the Shell Blades and spikes in the corner. The spikes were easily dealt with, flinging them aside with my mind and then stabbing them. The Shell Blades stubbornly refused to open up, and since Ruto advised against Din's Fire while underwater I had to devise new tactics for them.

Navi was, once again, the saviour here. She used her own mind to pick them up one by one, force them open to reveal their vulnerable insides, and wait for me to stab them before moving on to the next. The Shell Blades tried to flee after the first few, but Navi relentlessly hauled them back.

Only when they'd all been dispatched did the other grating retract, dropping the chest down into view where Ruto collected another small key.

With that done we headed back to the central column, where I replaced the box underneath the increasing flow of drips coming from the melting ice above. I took us up from platform to platform cautiously in case there was something waiting for us on the next one up, until we were on the same level as the middle floor, previously untouched by us except for the one key I'd obtained just after meeting Ruto.

There was a second Triforce carving here which upon playing Zelda's lullaby to caused the water level to rise back up again to the same level as us, bringing the red box up with us to reach the door here.

At the same time, a lick of fire emerged from a grating in one wall above, melting the last of the ice to restore the waterfall again, washing us off the ledge we were on and into the water. I lifted myself out of the water and clear of the spray to fire another Ice Arrow into it to cut it off, then led the way back out into the main room.

Out of curiosity I shot another Ice Arrow toward the waterfall on the ledge I'd first seen, but the ice it created was washed away too rapidly to make any difference. I could see from down here that there was a third Triforce carving up there.

Ruto briefly consulted the map, then directed me to a west door on this level that would lead up behind the waterfall, using another key in the process to open the door. The small room beyond held three things, a blue Tektite quickly dealt with by two arrows, another broad water fountain, and a crystal switch.

Hitting the switch caused the water to rise up, providing a nice easy way up if I just froze the top of it when it came back down.

_"Try some of this,"_ the dark Silver's voice murmured as we waited.

The water fell again with another ping as the crystal switch deactivated, and with it came a Stalfos – though it held the sword differently to the others I'd seen, held more prominently with the shield in a less defensive position.

It rushed toward me, completely out of character compared to previous Stalfos, then turned and went for Ruto, who ducked away even as I threw myself in its path, shoving back with my mind – only to have something retaliate with more force and throw me up against the wall, holding me there.

In response to that I dropped the sword, stopped pushing against the force holding me and took up the sword with my mind. The Stalfos looked from me to it, possibly in astonishment but it was hard to tell with its bony face locked in a grin. Then I whacked it around the head with the sword.

It passed straight through the skull with no resistance whatsoever – the skull was left completely intact.

"It's an illusion!" Navi exclaimed. "There's no substance to it at all!"

_"Curse you, fairy,"_ my dark counterpart muttered, and the illusion vanished. With it the force holding me was relaxed and I almost fell to the floor.

"I just avoided getting attacked by an illusion?" Ruto demanded indignantly. "Aren't I worth the real thing?"

"If it's all the same to you Ruto, I'm glad it was just an illusion," I told her. "It was controlled directly by the other me we saw, which is why it didn't act like a normal Stalfos. I think I've underestimated him... he can do things I can't – or at least haven't figured out how to do yet."

_"What do you think the seven years were for?"_ his voice asked. For a moment I thought I caught the sense of his presence, quickly working to trace it back but it was too fleeting. _"Better luck next time, slowcoach,"_ he taunted me.

With his unexpected attack foiled, I continued on as I'd intended, freezing the top of the fountain to create a platform up while Ruto still muttered half-formed complaints about him.

There was an identical room above, though with a door set off to one side. We could hear through it the sound of the waterfall blocking the way up to the third carving, and even see some of the water that had managed to flow this way.

Playing the song again at this one caused the water to rise back to its original level, and now that we knew the locations of all three we had the means to set it at whatever level was most convenient for us.

I made the locked door to the west I'd seen as I'd first entered our next choice, as it was probably the only door that we could reach that only needed a small key to open. Beyond was a long, wide room with a plain stone floor stretching the whole distance, and nothing else. The sound of rushing water came to us from somewhere, and there was a regular clunking of some machinery working, but no sign of it.

"Is it just me that finds this suspicious?" I asked. "A room like this with nothing in it... it seems out of place somehow."

"You worry too much," Ruto said, walking ahead unfazed.

"Ruto, wait!" Navi called suddenly. "If you take another step, you'll fall!"

"Fall into what?"

"It's another illusion – that floor isn't really there. Silver, take out that truth lens and look through it."

Ruto fell back to look curiously through the lens at the same time as me.

Where the lens was, the reality was revealed. There was indeed no floor, but two walls slanting down to a trough in the middle with a mass of water rushing down the surfaces of each. On either side there were a series of platforms, on our side completely motionless, while on the other side, they went down instead, reappearing at the top when they dropped out of view below.

_"Have fun,"_ the dry voice of my counterpart told me.

_"Oh, be quiet,"_ I snapped back, then aloud, "We'll need to be careful anyway. I get the idea our dark friend is involved in this somehow."

Ruto looked thoughtfully through the lens, using the chinks between the stones to figure out where the real floor ended, then made her way there and put her head through the illusion – a rather disturbing sight without the benefit of the Lens of Truth.

Then she moved along a ways into the field of vision I had through the lens so she could drop down on to the first platform.

"Well are you coming or not?" she called back. "I can see you fine from this side – that illusion is one way only.

_"She thinks,"_ dark Silver confided. I didn't bother to ask him what he meant. I had a feeling he wouldn't tell me anyway.

With his words in mind I cautiously went to join her – only to find the illusion was solid for me. I could see empty air under my feet through the lens, but it was solid to me.

"Stop showing off and come down here," Ruto told me imperiously.

"I'm not showing off, Ruto," I replied. "In fact, I'm not doing anything at all."

"That's not possible," Navi said. I can tell that's an illusion there, you taught me how to detect them."

"And I can see it isn't there through the lens," I agreed. "But I'm not doing anything special to stand here."

"Well if it's solid for you, give me a hand back up there," Ruto commanded. I turned the lens on her so I could see her, then reached to the floor. I couldn't pass through it, so she had to reach up to it – only to find it was now solid for her too, trapping her there. She looked in consternation at the solid air she found, patting at it and even knocking at it as the realisation sunk in.

"Sit down, Ruto," I told her. "I think I'm going to have to do something about this, and it'll be easier for me if I only have to worry about where I've got you."

"You know Silver, if it wasn't for this situation I'd find something funny in the fact that I'm underneath you," she said somewhat tartly. Navi giggled slightly at the implication, but said nothing.

"Keep hold of this for me," I told her, letting her get a hold on the Lens of Truth. "I'll need it to be able to see what I'm doing with her as I make my way across."

"Be careful, Silver," she warned. "There might be holes out there neither of us can see or feel because of this."

"Don't worry about me. I can react quick enough to handle anything like that."

With Navi's aid I kept watch on what was happening below, picking up Ruto as I had before. Navi made sure she could see through the lens too so she could make sure I could still see Ruto below as I edged warily along above, while carrying Ruto along below.

Over the deep trench between the two slopes where mist rose from the two waterfalls, Ruto collided with something solid, dropping a little before I caught her again.

"Watch where you're making me go!" she snapped.

"Sorry. I couldn't see anything there."

"And I can't feel anything either," Navi added. "It must be like this floor."

"You're going to have to feel your way around it for me," I called down to Ruto. "I'll take you down first, so tell me when you think you find the bottom and I'll take you underneath."

"Not without making sure there's a big enough gap for me," she replied, obliging me.

Eventually she found the bottom of it reaching away. I humoured her so she was sure it was safe, then took her under and just out of the way of the moving platforms. When I started to bring her back up again, she was pushed by another undetectable barrier, with her help identified as another slant matching the wall opposite.

Then I had my own surprise, as when I crossed the point where she'd hit the first unseen wall, the floor dropped away sharply for me. I reacted quick enough to prevent myself from dropping far, but it definitely set my heart racing with the sudden shock of falling.

I checked the illusory floor on this side to find it wasn't solid to me on either side, so dropped down underneath it so I didn't need the lens anymore – only to find that it left Navi above, who was still barred from crossing. She still had the lens though, so could keep track of us.

Where the platforms reappeared at the top of the far side the barriers allowed Ruto back above the floor to join me, set down beside the door with great relief to all of us. As Navi returned the lens to me, the illusion floor faded away, revealing transparent blocks throughout the space below.

"That was why we couldn't see them," I laughed weakly. "We saw right through them."

_"Inconvenient,"_ dark Silver murmured, but said no more.


	42. Hero's Shadow

After we'd taken a few moments to restore our wits after that deceptively simple seeming challenge, I unlocked the next door to move on into a room that was almost empty, but a quick glance through the Lens of Truth told us it was meant to be this way. There was shallow water covering the floor with a few Tektites in, along with a crystal switch that had an oddly blue core instead of the silver or gold I'd seen before.

Also hidden in the water were five normal switches, rusted over. To the north, a giant red stone block with a moon symbol was waiting, filling the gap that the map told us led onward a room.

Once the Tektites had been defeated I took the Megaton hammer to the rusty switches – only to find even it wouldn't trigger the switches.

"The block then?" Ruto suggested. "I mean, you don't need to get behind it to shift it like anyone else would, right?"

"Moving something that large is troublesome, Ruto," I replied. "You've got to overcome its own weight and the friction on the floor... I can do it, but it'll take time."

"Then let me help," Navi said. "I might not be able to do as much as you, but I can at least make it easier, right?"

"Just don't push yourself too hard, will you?"

With the two of us working together the stone was pulled out of the hole, held in place until it was barely on the upper floor at all because the shape matched the corridor it was in. It finally fell out on one side with a splash, landing on the rusted switch right below with such force it triggered it.

The switch caused four gratings to bar our path down the corridor above, blocking our path down it to the Like-Like at the end and the door it guarded.

Triggering the crystal switch had no effect on this new barrier, instead it just raised the water level. The block, despite its massive weight, rose up as the switch underneath rose back out of the floor – though it did not remove the barriers.

With it like this it was much easier to move, with my hovering over the water to shift it while Ruto, who was just tall enough to stand in the water without concern, guided us. She and Navi turned the block to face the right direction, while I gave it the main movement.

It was almost painfully slow work even with the aid, but we managed to manoeuver it to the second rusted switch, then trigger the crystal switch again to drop the water level and put the weight of the block on the switch.

The switch triggered, and the third grating shot up – but an opening in the ceiling dropped four Tektites into the newly opened area, watching us and waiting for us to remove the two remaining gratings separating them from us.

We repeated for the remaining switches, the next one removing the last grating without dropping more monsters in, then the third dropped the front barrier along with a flock of Keese that I quickly shot down. I made my way up to the higher path to shoot the Tektites through the bars while the chance was there.

Then we finally triggered the last switch to reopen the route ahead, throwing a bomb into the Like-Like to get rid of it. Bits of Like-Like got left everywhere, much to Ruto's disgust, but I managed to avoid letting any of it get on us.

Beyond the door was a strange room – there appeared to be no walls to it at all. The floor was completely sand, rising and falling in miniature sand dunes, reaching off even as far as the eye could see.

The door behind us barred, turning out to be a door set into a carved stone wall surrounded by pillars, which as we watched collapsed into the sand to bury itself. A similar structure, already buried, was opposite us. There were no features to this 'room' except for a single palm tree, exactly between the two buried doors.

Looking at the room through the Lens of Truth revealed only a faint haze in the air where the walls were, breaking the illusion of an endless desert, but otherwise there was no difference at all.

"There is something there though," Navi insisted quietly. "I can't feel whatever it is, but there's a place just behind the tree were it's too quiet."

"Too quiet?" I asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's hard to explain. It's like... even though I'm looking for a mind, I can feel other things around when I'm searching, but behind the tree there isn't even that. Can't you feel it too, Silver?"

I reached out curiously, having never come across this myself. At first there appeared to be no difference to normal until I reached the spot she'd mentioned – and then I understood. Wherever else I went in the room there was a kind of background thrumming, like a sound on the edge of your awareness that you only really notice if you pay attention. At the tree, that background 'noise' wasn't there – it was dead calm and totally empty.

And it gave me an idea.

"Navi, I'm going to try something and I want you to see if you can still find me afterwards. Just give me a moment to put it in place – you'll know when I have, because you won't be able to see me."

"Invisibility?" Ruto asked. "That's powerful magic."

"Not magic," I replied. "It's tough on the mind though."

The idea of invisibility isn't entirely accurate though. There's two parts to it; the physical and the mental. On the very rare occasions I've needed it, I've always done the two together because that's how I learned.

First you create a sphere around you, not out of just your mind but out of the light around you. That in itself is difficult, because light is very hard to influence by its incredibly high speed alone. Once you get that in place, the sphere bends light around it so people effectively see what's behind you, and because you made it a sphere you don't cast a shadow – the light from above is bent around the sphere to below, lighting it up.

At the same time, you create an idea in your mind of what you want other curious minds to find. If Navi went looking for the shape of the room, when she encountered me she'd only find more sand. This doesn't work so well against those who detect minds directly, like her and me though.

Navi noticed my apparent disappearance, then I felt the touch of her mind against the idea of sand, a kind of fluttering feeling, then it passed. She brought her mind back the other way, encountering the idea a second time.

"I can tell you're still there, Silver," she announced finally. "You've created the same kind of empty space that's beside the tree."

For the curious, the reason this happens is because it's near-impossible to know everything thats going on around you so you can mimic that background noise at the same time, and even if you could it would mean holding the sphere, the idea of sand, and the background idea all at the same time – a considerable challenge, I'm sure you can tell.

I settled back into visibility, then headed for the tree.

"I know you're there now," I called out. "You must have gathered that if you're paying attention. Why don't you come out and show yourself – and answer me, like you said you would earlier?"

Before I reached the tree Dark Silver also shimmered into view, stepping out from behind the tree.

"Remarkable," he noted. "Even you weren't aware of it, were you? It took you and the fairy to figure it out."

"Who are you really, and why did you keep yourself hidden from me?"

"You should have figured that out by now. I'm you – in a way. Every time there is a Hero, I am there also. I look as they do – with a few differences, of course. What they are capable of, so am I. I noticed you seven years ago, though I didn't act on it then. You had to grow up before I could meet you."

"You didn't answer the other question."

Dark Silver sighed. "You're not as bright as I thought you were. You know full well what could happen if you fail to protect your mind, Silver. If I let you find me-"

"I wouldn't have done anything to you," I cut him off. "That's not the way I do things. If you were really me, you'd know that."

"Oh, there are bound to be a few differences," he said, dismissing the point. "I've been two other Heroes before you, and I'll be the opposite of at least one more after you."

"Tails," I breathed. I'd been told he'd be a future Hero. There might be others, but this was a certain one.

"Tails," he agreed. "A timid little fox. A curious choice, wouldn't you agree? Seems to be out of place among the other Heroes. A proud Echidna, a brave if slightly morally challenged young hedgehog, you... and then him."

"Don't be so quick to put him down. He might surprise you."

"You're not going to tell him, are you? You're going to keep all this quiet. I don't need your powers to see that."

"I'll tell him, but in my own time, and probably after he's taken his turn as the Hero. If he's going to be a Hero, I shouldn't get involved until afterwards. You've been here, or at least somewhere, for every previous Hero, haven't you?" Dark Silver nodded with a faintly amused smile. "So you'll be there for him. What possible reason could I have to deny you that chance?"

"You know Silver, talking to you gives me a sense of Deja Vu – as if it's going to happen again. I wonder if Tails will figure me out before you tell him?"

"He might be timid, but he's a smart one. I'd like to see him deal with you."

My dark counterpart shook his shield down, stretching slightly before he drew out his sword – they were identical to my own, but like his clothes all darkened in colour.

"Why don't we see _you_ deal with me first, Silver? I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

He held himself ready to attack, but made no actual move for me. Both my own swords remained sheathed as I watched him, waiting – I was expecting him to try something with his mind. We stood in that stand-off for a time, then without warning he leapt for me.

In a swift movement enhanced with my own mind I pulled out Biggoron's sword, bringing it up in a broad swing that caught him in mid-air, sending him crashing to the sand nearby with a deep gash in his tunic. Oddly, there was no wound underneath, only a rapidly fading red line where the great blade had caught him.

This, of course, was where I came up with the Mortal Draw. Not the most useful of my skills, but I was asked to pass it on all the same.

Dark Silver got back up quickly, trying to fling me aside as I'd done to others before me, but I reacted quick enough to get myself up above it before it blew me aside, then dived for him swinging Biggoron's sword for his head in an airbourne version of the Helm Splitter.

He reacted to that in time, only just avoiding harm but throwing me off guard by hitting me mentally from below. This time I was the one tumbling back to the sand, Biggoron's sword sent flying from my hand. Rather than attempt to retrieve it I fell back to the Master Sword and Hylian shield, putting us on more or less even footing.

I went on the offensive, but he had one thing right – anything I could do, he could too. We were too evenly matched now, if not pushing an attack aside with the shield then countering each strike with one of our own.

That was broken when instead of blocking his sword I shoved my shield forward at him, sending him stumbling back. His sword left his hand, but I felt his mind reach out and continue the strike, catching my sword arm. Unlike him I _did_ get injured, but thankfully it wasn't a deep wound.

He'd turned my own trick against me though. There was no way to disarm him now with the sword in the grip of his mind, and without the encumberance of its weight or even himself, he could attack with greater swiftness. There was going to be no easy way for me to get past his sword without further injury, and the sharp pain I still felt in my arm not only discouraged letting that happen, but also badly affected my own swordsmanship, causing me to make mistakes as I tried to avoid the repeat pains of certain movements.

Dark Silver was still focused on me though, concentrating on his sword. _I_ might be having trouble physically, but my mind could still fight perfectly. An idea formed, but I needed a distraction. I feigned greater pain in the arm than was real, deliberately dropping my sword to pick it up mentally, blocking a strike that would have passed my shield for my other arm.

"About time," he called. "I was starting to think you weren't going to be a challenge."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," I replied with a vicious grin. He might be capable of anything I was, but he lacked the experience I had. I was able to drive his sword back, slowly but steadily back towards the tree where he waited.

He put greater focus on that, slowing my advance further but I didn't worry about that. I surreptitiously cast about for Biggoron's sword, then picked up that too with my mind, moving it out of his sight first, then around behind him where I had it wait. He hadn't noticed, being too greatly focused on the main sword fight.

Then to his surprise I dived past that fight, rolled past him, seized Biggoron's sword and delivered a powerful blow to his back in a special variant of the Back Slice that only I could ever hope to perform.

His dark Master Sword dropped to the sand as his focus was lost, and as I mentally retrieved my own he had to quickly duck down or get caught by it as it flew rapidly overhead. I didn't give him a chance to react to anything else, taking advantage of that distraction to close the distance and level Biggoron's sword right for him. One move now and I could run him through.

"Care to give up?" I asked. "I'm a fair person. Concede defeat, and we don't have to go through the unpleasantness that usually comes next."

Dark Silver looked up the long blade at me, then said, "Nicely done, Silver. I thought you'd use your mind more directly... but it seems you're a tough one to predict. Take the treasure I guarded from you, and save Hyrule. If anyone can do it, it's you."

And with that, he faded out of existance before my eyes. For a very brief moment I caught his mind and saw the two previous Heros he'd mentioned, and laughed when I realised who they were. Tails and I weren't the only ones mysteriously transported to Hyrule.

With him gone, the room faded to an empty, tiled room with a single palm tree growing on a sandy islands in the shallow water on the floor. The two doors on either side unbarred, their apparent burial only an illusion. A large chest faded into existance in the shadow of the tree.

Inside was a small bag, very similar to the bomb bag I already had, but within there was very strange items. They looked like a mouse, but with a face mask, a propeller and even goggles – as if it was ready to go swimming.

"A Bombchu?" Navi wondered. "But... it looks different to the description the Great Deku Tree gave me."

"What's a Bombchu?"

"It's like a motorised bomb – you set one down, and it goes ahead on its own. After a certain time it'll explode like a normal bomb. I guess you could say they're remote bombs."

"And this one's designed for use in water, maybe? I wonder what would happen if we detonated one of these at the top of the waterfalls we've been seeing?"

* * *

**A/N: **Yep, as Dark Silver suggested, there's not only two more Heros before Silver, but two more stories I plan to write - three, if you include Silver's visit to Termina.

The timeline I'm working with is the one you'll find on the Duelling Analogues webcomic, following the Child Era timeline. If you don't want to go looking, in game terms the exact chain goes like this:

Skyward Sword, Minish Cap, Four Swords, Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Twilight Princess, Four Swords & Hyrule Adventure.

The two Four Sword games I'm in two minds about writing, but the rest are all going to end up in this little series.

There you go - a little something to look forward to.


	43. Water's End

"He knew about me," Tails said, startled. "Before I'd even gone to Hyrule."

"But so did I," Silver reminded him. "I reckon he knew because I knew, and technically you had been to Hyrule. You came to my Hyrule in the Temple of Time, remember?"

"But that happened after-" Tails broke off and frowned.

"Yeah, try not to think about it," Silver laughed. "Time travel does that to you."

"Who were the other two Heros he mentioned?" Sonic asked.

"I don't know. All I know is what he told me."

"A proud Echidna – that's gotta be Knuckles, right?"

"Someone say my name?" Knuckles said mildly, leaning in the doorway. He too now bore similar green to Tails and Silver. "Got to apologise to you two by the way," he added.

"For what, listening in at my door?" Tails chuckled.

"Well that too, but I overheard you talking about Dark. I'm... well... you can blame me for his existance."

"How did _that_ happen?"

"Hey, did you forget who's telling what story here?" Silver objected. "Or don't you want to hear the rest of my adventure?"

"Wait, before we go back to that," Sonic cut in again. "Who's the last Hero?"

"I know who he is – but I'll only tell you after Silver's done," Knuckles said with a grin. "Besides, he's not back from his adventure yet."

* * *

With the curious Bombchus in hand we started to move on, pausing only when Ruto insisted on examining the gash in my arm from Dark Silver's attack, tearing a bit of my own tunic off to serve as a rudimentary bandage. It wasn't really all that bad, but she pointed out that if I left it open and it got infected I'd be in no condition to carry on. It would impact my swordsmanship since that was my sword arm, but it would heal in its own time if not when I next went to the Chamber of Sages.

There was a small room beyond that, once I'd played the Song of Time to remove another Time block, had a hole in the floor leading to a fast-flowing underground river. Rather than let Ruto dive down and in as she wanted, I pointed out we had no idea what awaited us, and getting swept up into something dangerous would be, well, dangerous.

So I lowered us down instead, and it turned out to be a good thing I did. Along the surface of the water ahead was a whirlpool, but stranger still was another waterfall right above it, a rock causing the water to land right around the whirlpool and block the rest of the route. The way the water was flowing, the waterfall would wash us right down into the whirlpool, and as the map indicated nothing beneath here, who knew what awaited us?

Ruto's map told us this was a long winding cavern, and the sound of rushing water suggested the river went all the way down. Even if there weren't any more of these obstacles, I'd still have to handle this.

The waterfall was too heavy to taken an Ice Arrow, so instead I decided to try these new Bombchus, taking one out of the bag and setting into the water. Almost immediately the propeller behind it buzzed into life, the Bombchu slicing erratically through the water. It looked as if it was going to get sucked down the whirlpool, but to the astonishment of us all, it turned and swam up the waterfall instead.

It vanished up the hole the water was coming from, the buzzing sound no longer audible over the water, then there was a detonation. The water stopped falling, the rock that had been spreading it fell into the whirlpool and blocked the hole, causing the whirlpool to lose its source to leave only a few confused eddies left being swept away by the current.

We followed the river down, finding several more of these obstacles all dealt with the same way, eventually leading us to a narrow passageway at the far end with a chest in. That, of course, gave us another small key, but was also a dead-end.

"Any ideas now?" I asked Ruto. "We still don't have the boss key, and that's the one we need."

"I'm working on it, alright?" she replied. "All these key symbols look the same, so any one of them could be the one we want – or none of them."

"How many are left then?"

"Two," she answered after a moment. "One south on the middle level, one north on the lowest level, both reached from the main room – if we can get back there."

"Leave that to me," I said, taking out Farore's Wind. "Remember this?"

"Isn't that the jewel that revealed what you are to me?"

I just nodded, taking us back to the main room. My aim was slightly off, dropping us in the water of the southeastern part of the room. Once again, two Tektites had shown up here. Rather than defeat them again, I simply formed the water bubble again and sank beneath the surface. Blue Tektites can stand on the water's surface, but they can't go underneath it. Not on their own, anyway.

The mid-level southern route was blocked off by what, had I lowered the water level, would have been another waterfall. The water Bombchu, like those I'd used before, happily swum up the currents that marked the flow of water coming down, disappearing into the source and detonating to stop them, allowing us to proceed once again.

It let us down a passage that led eventually to the red block I'd shifted way back at the start of this Temple, now moved again to not only create a convenient short-cut, but reveal a side room that had the marked key – another small key. We had two small keys left now, but still no big key.

The only way left was the north route on the lowest level, so naturally we headed there next, unlocking the door to find a large room that somehow managed despite the water level outside to only have water on the lower part of it. Several whirlpools without waterfalls lay in the water along with a few more Tektites, while great rocks dropped down from openings in the ceiling only to roll along the surface (by magic, probably) and get sucked away by the whirlpools.

"There's several more rooms behind that door," Ruto said, pointing to the one opposite us. "But the key is over there, where that rock is coming from."

One of the rocks didn't simply drop down, but came from a corridor off to one side. Another waterfall was at the far end, the source of the rocks, but there was room underneath for me to walk safely with the Iron boots – or to use my bubble once again.

"Where exactly over there?" I asked.

"Look at the waterfall – the floor drops away underneath it. All the map says is that it's beyond there, so it must either be underwater, or in a room only reachable underwater."

"I don't suppose you'd mind waiting here then? It'll be easier if I just go there and back."

"You're not going to try to leave me behind, are you?"

"Of course not, you're-" I broke off. I couldn't tell her she was the Sage of Water.

"Going to be your wife," she finished for me. "And I can't chain you to me all the time. I understand. I'll be waiting right here for you."

She had the wrong idea, but at least it was for the right reasons. I waited for the next rock to pass before diving into the water, quickly getting the bubble in place and holding it so the nearest whirlpools wouldn't suck me in, then easily floated down the corridor and under the waterfall. I followed the passage underneath to surface in a small room that had the tell-tale blue and gold chest that at last gave me the boss key.

From through the wall, there came the sound of Ruto screaming and knew instantly it had been a mistake to let my guard down and not keep her with me. I didn't bother swimming back, using Farore's Wind once again.

Ruto had vanished – as had the Tektites, rocks and all the water.

"Navi? Navi, where are you?" I called out, as she hadn't come with me.

"I'm right here," she answered shimmering into view right in front of me. "That's harder than it looks, isn't it?"

The implications of that simple statement alone were incredible. Concealing yourself mentally is very difficult even if you know how to do it – and she'd done it on her own, without being taught?

"You learned how to do that just from watching me? Navi, that's – ah, no time for that, what happened?"

"A dark portal appeared underneath her and sucked her in. I could feel Ganondorf's presence, or at least I think it was him, so I hid myself. All the water drained by itself when she vanished. Silver, do you think..."

"This is what happened to the other Sages?" I finished for her. "It could be. We don't know what happened to Saria, and Darunia was gone before we reached Volvagia's room. Anything could have happened. I got the boss key though, so we'd better get to the boss quickly."

Farore's Wind, only used this much back in the Fire Temple, whisked us both up to the boss door. I'd forgotten about the waterfall though, which washed us back out the way again until I sent a Bombchu up to open a gap.

Unlike the previous Temples the Boss door did not open directly into the boss room, but to a short corridor, with a normal door leading the rest of the way into a large room, the walls lined with many protruding spikes except in the corners and where the now-barred door was. Four tall platforms rose up out of water that seemed strangely too blue, thick rungs set into one side of each platform as if to allow for an easy way out.

I knew there was _something_ here, I'd picked it up earlier when searching for Dark Silver, but it had been very slippery, always managing to slip past my mind and evade actually being detected as such.

Then as I watched, the strange water started to rise up, first becoming a bulge in the surface then pushing up further into a long watery tentacle. It weaved through the air, casting about for something while I cautiously kept moving, avoiding wherever it searched until at last a strange ball floated up into the tentacle. A ball that appeared to be an eye – no, a nucleus, the core of a single-celled kind of life. The brain of this creature, and the mind I'd sensed before.

With the brain there in the tentacle it knew where I was, causing the tentacle to dive for me. I wasted no time in getting clear, racking my own brain – how was I going to deal with this? Clearly the nucleus was the weak spot, but how to deal with it?

The first thing I found when I reached into the pouch was the bag of Bombchus. Maybe if I threw one in it would swim up the tentacle? It was a half-formed idea made on the spur of the moment to be sure, but it was an idea nonetheless.

I reached in for one, only to find both the tentacle and the nucleus had gone. I cast about inside the strange water with both eye and mind to try to find it again, but it managed to evade my mind just as easily as it had before.

Another tentative idea occurred to me – this might not exactly be water, but it was a part of the creature. If I could irritate it somehow, maybe I could lure it into showing itself. I took out the cold gem that turned arrows into ice arrows, nocked an arrow in the bow, then shot at the water between the four platforms.

It froze over just as if it were normal water, but the remaining liquid water quivered visibly at what must have been a sudden shocking cold. Rather than taking its time to form a tentacle shot up out of the water questing for me almost immediately – but there was no nucleus inside it, not yet.

I sent my mind searching again with sudden inspiration, not into the water but around the room, and the tentacle reached for it and not me. I kept it distracted with the sense of my mind, a hand ready on a Bombchu as soon as the nucleus showed itself. When it finally appeared and saw through my deception I lobbed it in, then winced in pain from the earlier injury.

The Bombchu's flight was not perfect because of that, but I was able to nudge it back on course with my mind. It plopped into the water not far from the tentacle where the buzzing started, and just as I'd hoped it started to swim up the tentacle. Slower than it had in actual water, confirming that whatever this was, it wasn't water.

The creature's tentacle jerked back from me to go for the Bombchu, but whenever it met itself the liquid just merged. It grew increasingly desperate, trying to find some way to stop this creature until it hit the nucleus with an explosion that shattered the tentacle into globs of liquid that splattered everywhere, leaving the nucleus hanging, blackened and smoking, in the air for a moment before it dropped to a platform, hopping around.

I didn't go for it myself, but I did send the Master Sword after it, with the first strike impaling it on the ground to prevent it from getting back to the water. _Then_ I went after it with Biggoron's sword, hacking and slicing away until it finally burned away, causing the strange liquid to drain all by itself.

While it had been relatively quick compared to previous boss battles, it felt like it had taken longer. I was just glad it was finally out the way so I could try to dry off a bit instead of being constantly soaked through.


	44. Shadows of Darkness

As conveniently as always, the Temple of Light's healing touch not only healed the wound Dark Silver had given me, but also replaced the piece of tunic that had served as a bandage and in mute regard to my thoughts, completely dried me off. It's the kind of special treatment that could go to your head if you're not careful.

Naturally I landed facing the blue engraved design of the Sage of Water, who despite Ganondorf's attempt to stop me was even now rising out of it, taking her place as a Sage.

"I guess I should have seen this coming," she said. "Sheik told me I'd find my destiny at the Temple, then he told me you were coming."

"I don't suppose you'd care to see this as another reason not to marry me?" I asked. "Not that I don't want to, of course, but-"

"But my father would never approve, even if you have saved us twice now."

"Three times," I corrected. "I set the defrosting of Zora's Domain in motion too, remember."

Ruto looked at me for a moment with an amused smile, then said, "Someday Silver, your habit of doing good deeds is going to attract the attention of some nice girl who'll be more persistent than I am, and you won't be able to get out of it."

"Come on, me?" I laughed a little nervously. "I can't see anyone really taking an interest in me – not like you did, anyway."

"Well you know you can't have me... so I'll give you this instead... and if you see Sheik, give him my thanks, won't you?"

Unlike the other Sages, rather than doing the whole arms skyward thing, she actually handed me the Water Medallion herself as she said it.

* * *

Lake Hylia was already back to normal when I was deposited beside the warp stone by the descending light, the surface reflecting back the early morning sky with its slight stains that suggested sunrise would happen soon.

That turned out to be a convenient coincidence, though as usual I hesitate to use the word. Just ahead of me there was a weathered and worn series of Hylian lettering engraved into a flat stone, and it might just be the first time I managed to read an entire sentence written in Hylian without having any trouble with it.

"When water fills the lake, shoot for the morning sun," I read out.

"We have good timing then," Navi said in the quiet voice everyone seems to use before sunrise. "And it's not as if you can miss a target like that."

"Are you saying I'm a bad shot with a bow?"

"If you're not, why do I nearly always feel your mind helping it reach the target?"

"Well you can't expect me to waste arrows, can you?" I said a little defensively. "Might as well make every one count."

"I bet you can't hit a moving target without using your mind then."

That started an impromptu test of my aim while we waited for sunrise. Flying around Lake Hylia were Guays, the Hylian version of your common crow. Even though it was early yet they still flew about, filling the air with their squawking.

I didn't shoot down many at first, not wanting to get rid of them entirely, until I noticed occasionally they would reappear on the far side of the lake as if nothing had happened. After that I shot every one I could.

I won't pretend I'm a perfect shot, as I did miss more than a few times, but I did well enough to prove I'm a fair archer at least. It did deplete my quiver just a bit, but I had a fair store of rupees saved up. One of the shops in Kakariko was bound to sell arrows, if not someone in the market at the front of town.

When the sun finally put in an appearance I did exactly as the stone told me, taking care not to look directly at the sun. Made aiming a bit difficult, but better that than blinding myself. I lost sight of the arrow after I shot it, but after a moment I was distracted by something red, glinting in the light on a small spit of land that had two pillars on.

Rather than swim over – I had only just been dried out, after all – I brought it over to me, finding it was a small red crystal, warm to the touch. Very similar to the ice crystal we'd found in the ice cavern that made arrows become ice arrows.

Experimentally, I took out one of my remaining arrows, taking aim at a nearby Guay and touching the crystal to the arrow. The arrowhead glowed red, then when I shot the arrow a flare of fire appeared around it. The Guay vanished in a sudden explosion of flame when the arrow hit it.

"Well isn't that useful?" I remarked. "Now we just have to find out where the next Temple is."

"If we're following Sheik's order, the next one is the 'house of the dead', then all that's left is the 'goddess of the sand'."

"That last has to be in Gerudo Desert somewhere then, but where would the 'house of the dead' be?"

"Kakariko – remember that place underneath the well? Or maybe in the graveyard behind?"

"Either way, we're going to Kakariko next."

Farore's Wind took me from the island in the lake to the Hyrule Field entrance, allowing me to make my way out on to the field itself and see the dark plumes of smoke even from this far-off viewpoint that were rising from Kakariko Village.

I wasted no time in transporting myself across the entirety of the field just to reach there, appearing at the foot of the valley slope leading up to the village where my sudden appearance startled the guards and townsfolk who had apparently fled the village. From here I could hear the tell-tale crackle and smell the acrid charred smell in the air that told exactly what was happening in Kakariko.

"You can't go up there, stranger!" a guard stopped me as I headed for the village, holding me back.

"Let go of me," I told him, not turning to look.

"It's too dangerous!"

"I'm the damn Hero of Time you moron, if anyone can do something about it, I can!" I snapped at him. People are forever getting in my way when I'm in a hurry, and I wish just once it wouldn't happen. Such wishes never come true, or had you noticed that?

The guard actually seemed to recoil back, either from my outburst in general or the revelation that he was looking at a genuine Hero. Even the folk around seemed stunned into silence from it. In his reaction he'd let go of me and I didn't feel like sticking around to let anyone pester me.

As I ran into the town itself I sensed two familiar presences. One was Zelda, naturally still posing as Sheik, who was stood before the empty well. The other was the one who had threatened me earlier, its presence stronger than ever, looming and overshadowing even though it was still locked beneath the well, threatening to blot out any other presence I might feel.

Kakariko was burning. The slate roofs were more or less safe until the wooden beams beneath burnt away or broke, but the majority of the structures had timber framing. While still heading for the well I quickly whipped out the Ocarina of Time and played the Song of Storms on it. Never mind that the last time I'd played this the well had dried up, I needed the storm it would summon and the rain for it to help put out the fires.

Where rain met fire the crackling turned to hissing, at the very least starting to put out the smaller fires. Hopefully the hurried song would save at least some of Kakariko.

"Sheik!" I called, approaching her. "How did this happen?"

"He caused it," she replied. "Stay back, Silver."

"But-"

"Impa sealed a terrible spirit into the well some years ago. No thanks to the Evil King, it's growing in power and will soon escape the confinement."

_"And then we shall have our meeting, Hero of Time,"_ the voice of the great presence told me, stronger, darker and foreboding.

"Can't the seal be-"

"No," Sheik cut me off. "Only she could do that, and she has gone to the Shadow Temple. Not even I or any other Sheikah could do anything to the seal from without. Get back, Silver, or we risk losing you when it escapes!"

"Oh, to hell with that, I'm a Hero – I don't run away from anything."

"You stubborn fool!" she started with a rare flare of temper, but we both stopped and turned to the well as the wooden frame above it was launched into the air, a shattering detonation coming from deeper in the well.

I felt the shadowy presence emerge with a mental cry, _"At last, I am free once again! None shall contain or stop me now!"_

"That's what you think," I muttered to myself. While the presence was great enough to be sensed from anywhere, it was still possible to find its exact location. It did not appear to have a visible appearance, and I didn't want to let my guard down just to retrieve the Lens of Truth.

Sheik watched curiously as I kept my eyes where my mind told me the presence was, following the very faint haze in the rainy air as it weaved around the town. Occasionally a fire would be put out by its passing, sometimes it would instead flare higher.

Then a darkened fuzzy blue-black patch appeared on the ground, the only physical manifestation of its presence we could see, stopping near the entrance to Kakariko.

_"Now thou shalt die, Leader of the Sages!"_ its voice thundered, and I heard Sheik gasp as if she had heard it to.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," I told it out loud, putting myself between her and it.

_"Then thou shalt also die, Hero of Time! All will perish, and the King of Evil shall reign supreme!"_

The patch on the ground charged, chunks of earth flying as if unseen feet were churning it up. I set myself and prepared to meet the charge head-on, not just for whatever physical presence there was, but mentally bracing for the impact of its mind against mine.

The sheer force of the impact almost made my knees buckle, though there was no physical impact – it was entirely mental, but the power behind it caused me to react as if it was physical, deep gouges starting to appear in the ground as I was steadily pushed back.

"Run, Sheik," I snapped. "I can't hold it off for long!"

"Then let me help," another voice said. I risked a glance to one side only to see none other than Dark Silver, one hand extended. "I might not be with you, but I'm certainly not with Ganondorf."

_"Fool boy! Dost wish to perish also?"_

He turned to the presence with a cold stare. "You don't know what it means to face two of us together, do you? Hurry up and take my hand Silver – we'll do this together."

If you think that's not significant, think again. When two or more like me link hands it becomes possible to link minds as well. It doesn't allow one to see into the others mind as such, but it meant I effectively had twice the power to draw on through him.

With him reinforcing my efforts we pushed back, the earth no longer being gouged up by the force pushing against me. The presence faltered then started to be pushed back itself. It might have been able to face one of me, but two was quite beyond it.

Finally it gave up, freeing itself from us and fleeing, heading around and past us not for Sheik but for the passageway that led up to the graveyard behind Kakariko. The two of us relaxed with great relief.

Then Dark Silver turned to me and burst out, "You absolute idiot! Do you have any idea how much danger you just put yourself in? And don't give me that Hero stuff either, there's only so much that can count for!"

"I'm _not_ going to let something like that run unchecked," I retorted. "And I certainly wasn't going to let it do anything to Sheik!"

"What _is_ it with you people? You throw yourself into danger recklessly without a thought for your own safety? Don't you have any sense of self-preservation?"

"Of course I do, but despite what you said I _am_ a Hero – I'm meant to be selflessly putting others before me for the greater good, because that's what we do. If any of us give up even once, it's a stain on every Hero that's been and gone. I'm not going to be the one to do that."

Dark Silver shook his head, "You're a fool, but at least you've got the right idea. Maybe someday I'll understand that for myself, but... you had better defeat Ganondorf, or I'll feel even worse about losing to you!"

And with that, he disappeared again.

"Remarkable creature," Sheik murmured. "The Sheikah passed down a legend about a dark creature that mimicked the Hero of the time, but I had thought it just that – a legend."

"In the circumstances, I'm glad it isn't. If he hadn't helped, I don't think either of us would be around to talk about it. That thing... whatever it was, it was powerful."

"Silver... you hold a shard of the Triforce within you. Though it is only one piece of the whole, it holds great power on its own. Perhaps next time you face such a situation, it will aid you – if you ask."

"I wish you'd had the foresight to tell me that earlier, and maybe to be less cryptic about where the Temples are."

"The Shadow Temple where that spirit has gone and where Impa went lies in the Graveyard behind Kakariko, the entrance normally inaccessible to any but the Sheikah and those who play the Nocturn of Shadow."

"And me," I added. "Don't forget me."

Sheik stared at me then sighed, "Yes, and you. I thought that was obvious, since you throw around your title as the Hero of Time so freely. Do you know, you're the only one who actually told anyone about it? None of the other Heros spoken of in the legends of the Sheikah have ever made it known."

"That's their choice," I shrugged. "Let's sort the last of these fires out, then you can teach me the song and I'll go find Impa and that spirit."

"Leave Kakariko to me – you go to the Temple. The village can be rebuilt; the Temple needs to be seen to now."

Can't really argue with that, can I?

I memorised the Nocturn of Shadow without bothering to play it back, heading for the graveyard as soon as I was sure I had it. As always, the private storm above the grave of the Royal Family was still there, and because the storm I'd summoned with the Song of Storms was there also, that storm was heavier than usual.

There were several Poes haunting the graveyard but after I flung one of them across the entire graveyard with an absent thought, they decided it was in their best interests to run away instead of try to attack me. Even the dead have good ideas once in a while.

The warp stone was on a raised and fenced off ledge high above the main graveyard, a large cavern in the rocky wall leading the way in. It sloped down, leading to a large domed cavern with a mass of unlit torches in. A great stone block sat opposite the sloping entrance, and rings of white Hylian lettering and designs were etched into the floor.

I managed to glean from them that this was a seal of sorts, holding back something within the Temple and that it had been done by the Sheikah. It also told me that only when all these many torches were lit would the seal be broken, and that the torches were specially designed to go out quicker than others.

The answer to that of course was to use Din's Fire as it had originally been intended before I got my hands on it, creating an expanding dome of fire around me. I stood in the center of the room and caused that dome to appear, the fire reaching out to match the dome of the cavern itself as it lit each successive ring of torches in turn.

The carve stone seal, much like the Door of Time, split in two, each side shuddering and rumbling aside to open the way into the Shadow Temple where Impa and the spirit that had wished death upon me awaited.


	45. The House of the Dead

Barely out of one Temple and already after only a brief stop in Kakariko itself I was being thrown headlong into the next one. It had to be by far the shortest ever time between two dungeons for me.

The Shadow Temple was not like the other Temples, however. Zelda had called it the 'house of the dead', and it gave every impression of it from the moment I passed through the open stone door. Its outward appearance was relatively plain, so far just being a tiled stone passageway, but this belied the true nature of the Temple.

Since my mental capabilities had been enhanced by the seven years spent in the Temple of Time, I'd already found I no longer needed to actively search for presences within a certain distance from me, as I now had that as a kind of passive effect. Here that was turned against me as I picked up not one but innumerable presences, none of them visible even with the Lens of Truth, but there all the same.

As soon as they became aware of me I was assaulted with a conflicting welter of emotions and thoughts thrown mindlessly my way. Anger and hatred, fear and despair, and a whole host of other feelings. The spirits of the restless dead knew I could hear and feel them, and here in the Shadow Temple they were not friendly.

I tried to block them out, but only succeeded in having them push back with even greater volume, each one of them striving to be heard. It was almost overwhelming just listening to them, making it impossible for me to focus at all. The Shadow Temple had turned my mind into a weapon against me, as without focus I was restricted to the more mundane skills I had and maybe if it still worked some magic as well.

Navi appeared to be having similar trouble, her light seeming to be paler than usual. I got the impression she was torn between taking cover in my cap again, or remaining out to continue to help as she'd been told to by the Great Deku Tree.

"Stay near me," I suggested. "My mind is more of a beacon than yours. If you're close by, they might overlook yours for mine."

"There are so many voices though," she shuddered back. "This is like that place under the well, but... worse."

"Try not to think about it. Don't try to block them out, or they'll get louder, just try to pretend you can't hear them."

"I don't think I can do anything to help here Silver, unless there's something we've not seen before. I can't..."

"I know. Even if we could do something with our minds, they'd just act against it. Anyway, you are helping."

"I am?"

"Well, just imagine how much worse this place would be if it were just one of us."

Navi shuddered back again. "Don't even suggest that! I don't think I'd dare come in here on my own!"

"Don't worry, Navi. I'm not going anywhere without you. Lets get started, before they get any worse."

I composed myself – well, I tried to at least – then started down the passageway. After turning the corner at the end, it appeared at first glance to be a dead end, but a look through the Lens of Truth revealed that the far wall was in fact an illusion and also that there was a pit before us. For a moment I gave some thought to the idea of trying to float across and even tried it, but I had been right – the spirits here would not allow it. Even the smallest attempt I made to rise up, they quashed by pushing the other way to stop me.

Overshadowing them all mentally was still the same strong presence that had taken both me and Dark Silver to drive off, clearly malicious and still curious, but not acting against me. It was as if it was watching only, until I felt the amusement it had at my efforts.

So I had to find another way to cross this pit. There was a ladder on the nearest side, but that wasn't going to help me go anywhere except down, and all that was down there was a coil of rope.

That gave me pause. Rope? What was rope doing here, left so neatly behind? Unless Impa had used it here, but surely she would have taken it with her? No one else could have come into the Temple, surely?

It was all I had to work with though, since there was no chance of leaping a gap this long. Sonic might have been able to, but not me. So I slid down the ladder to the bottom of the pit and cautiously, as if expecting a trap, I picked it up – only to find hidden among the coils was a three-pronged grappling hook. So someone had been here before, either Impa or someone else, and had deliberately left this here for anyone else who had come.

It took me several throws to get the hook to clear the edge of the pit and also hook into place strong enough to support my weight. Several times it looked and even felt as if it was going to hold, only to have the hooks grate against the stone and slip down, dropping me back to the floor.

"Oh, great," Navi commented. "Only two Temples left, and because you can't use your mind you're falling at the first obstacle. Didn't I tell you it was a bad idea to rely on it too much?"

"Do you mind?" I said wearily, throwing it up yet again.

"Of course not. Now I get to tell you I told you so."

"It's just one Temple Navi, it's not like this is going to be a regular thing."

I turned out to be wrong on that score when I went to Termina.

Eventually I did manage to get it to stay in place long enough to climb up, passing through the false wall to a large room with giant stone skull carvings spaced along the near walls, a ring of stone pillars topped with more skulls acting as torches and in the center of the ring a stylised bird with its beak pointing to one of the torches. At the base was a large stone handle, along with the scrape marks on the floor suggesting that this thing was meant to turn around. Opposite where I entered, across another deep pit was a small ledge before a gated passageway.

The room received a second look through the Lens of Truth, revealing the skull stone on the west wall, north of where I'd come in, was in fact merely illusion. I followed it to find a much smaller room, arranged in a ring around a small pillar. I kept the Lens to hand, looking at the room through it as well as without. I saw immediately that there was another hidden area to the north. At first I headed for it, but froze when I heard the low moan of a Redead. Without my mind, these things seemed once again much more fearsome, even if they did look like dessicated corpses.

I took Din's Fire in hand, only to find that I couldn't use it the way I had before. I was limited to its standard use only, the original one I'd used to gain entry, and that did not pass through the door. It engulfed the room I was in with fire, but it didn't pass through.

"That's it!" Navi suddenly exclaimed. "Silver, do you remember the song you learned in the tomb of the Royal Family, and the Hylian you couldn't make out?"

"What? Of course, but what good is that right now?"

"You said it had something to do with the sun and something to do with the dead. I remember hearing once that there was a song composed that could bring peace to the restless dead. Maybe if you play that song it will do something?"

"It can't hurt to try it I guess. The Redead in there isn't coming for me." There was another moan from the little room, and I added, "Yet."

I played the song I'd learned back there, hoping it would do something if not about the Redeads, then to let me use my mind at least a bit. Following the song there was a strange sound I can only describe as a bright flash – I know that doesn't work, but it's the best I can come up with.

The moaning had stopped, so cautiously with the Master Sword in one hand and the Lens of Truth in the other I edged into the small room. There was a large chest in the middle instead of another pillar, two Keese nestled on the back wall that I quickly shot down with the sword beam, and one Redead, glowing white and apparently stunned, stood right beside the door. Just far enough to be out of sight, but close enough that it would have been able to get me easily. I wasted no time in hacking it apart until it burned away like all other monsters.

"You know Silver, maybe if you took the time to read Hylian better you'd have known about this," Navi said.

"I wish you'd stop that," I complained. "So I don't read it very well, and so I'm too reliant on my mind. No one's perfect."

Navi stopped, then said, "I think I know what it is."

"In the chest?"

"No, why I keep acting oddly. This Temple... all the spirits here, they're all feeling negative kind of feelings. There's nothing positive about them at all. I think... maybe it might be getting to me somehow."

I paused to consider it, reaching into the chest to retrieve, much to my relief, the dungeon map. Scribbled in one corner was a note in Hylian that read, 'Follow the path I marked on here for you – Impa'.

"She knew we'd be coming," I said aloud, repeating the note for Navi's benefit.

"It'll make things easier for us, at least."

"For me. I think you'll want to stay close Navi, in the cap where it'll be safe. I can't be certain, but..."

"You think I might be more susceptible to the spirits here?"

"Right. Leave the Temple to me. At least I know I won't be alone as long as you're with me."

Navi understood, taking shelter as usual. Only once she was settled and I felt a slight calm to her mind did I move on, following Impa's markings back out to take another hidden exit that led further west to a similar room.

Before I entered I checked another note Impa had left pointing to this room ahead.

'Dead Hand – use a bomb to make it show itself'

If only I'd thought of that before! The idea of going up against another Dead Hand was not appealing, but Impa's advice lessened that considerably. I edged in, keeping myself carefully clear of the hands that were arranged in a ring around the room, just like the last Dead Hand.

But I couldn't see where the Dead Hand was underground, and with the spirits drowning out anything around I was going to have to find another way. I still had the Lens in hand, looking around through it still – and saw a faint shadow in the ground, shaped like a Dead Hand.

I sheathed the sword – I needed a hand for the bomb and also to see where it was, after all – and took out a bomb, throwing it for where it was hidden.

The creature burst up out of the ground, shuffling toward me while the hands around all oriented on me, their thin fingers twitching expectantly. I remained clear of them, quickly getting my sword ready again as I waited for it to get close enough.

When it finally did, the head lowered down to peer at me and I hacked into it. It had a tough hide that made it feel like I wasn't doing much, but it recoiled back from each blow all the same. Eventually it hid back in the ground again, retreating back to the safety of the hands. It stubbornly refused to leave the reach of the hands now.

Reluctantly I realised I was going to have to get close to the hands. I didn't like the idea of letting one grab hold of me, so just in case I switched back to Biggoron's sword – only to forget its weight! I could still use it, but without the aid I'd always given with my mind, it wasn't as easy. Navi did have a point about being too reliant on it.

It had the reach I needed though, allowing me to sever one of the hands at its elbow as it reached for me. The hand fell to the ground and kept moving, so I stabbed it again a good few times to make sure, then repeated for the next one. After three had fallen I was able to reach the center of the ring to let Din's Fire loose, setting the remaining ones on fire. They flailed about wildly, trying to put themselves out but also completely ignoring me. A bomb caused the Dead Hand to show itself a second time, and this time with Biggoron's sword in hand I defeated it, causing another chest to appear.

Within it were boots that were similar to the Iron boots, but were strangely light to the touch. There was a piece of parchment attached to one of them with more of Impa's writing on.

'Hover boots. Use to cross gaps, but be aware of little traction with them. Necessary at points marked on the map.'

"Thank you, Impa," I murmured. Wherever she was in the Temple, she appeared not only to know I was coming, but that I hadn't been prepared for the overwhelming activity of the spirits here. Either that, or she felt it was necessary to give me a guiding hand. I certainly wasn't going to complain about it.


	46. Watch for the Hand

Impa's guiding lines on the map led me naturally back to the room with the bird statue, which had two notes of its own. I noticed she'd chosen to use more simple terms as if she knew I'd be able to interpret them better, and recalled the time she'd taken me to the Temple of Time, just after meeting Zelda. She'd seen me meeting Tails and Jet – perhaps through that, she knew more about me than anyone else, and that was why she wrote these notes in a way I'd understand.

Anyway, her notes were simple. The first read 'point the beak at the one true torch to open the way', which was self explanatory, then the second more cryptically read 'boots across'.

The first one was easily solved, as the Lens of Truth revealed the ring of burning torches were not all they appeared to be, with all but one of them merely posts, the skull and fire atop them not really there. With some effort I used the stone handle to shove the bird statue around until the beak faced toward the only one really burning, causing the grate I'd seen opposite to open.

This still left me with the problem of crossing the apparently bottomless chasm from here over to the small protruding slab of stone on the other side. That was when Impa's second note became clear – I needed to use the Hover Boots.

I walked about a bit on the safety of the floor I knew to be real, getting used to the complete lack of traction they gave me. I found if I used solid objects to give me a bit of momentum, I could slide along the floor for considerable distances with little to no effort at all.

One of the fake-torch pillars was directly in line with the slab opposite, so I lined myself up with it, planning to run for it even though there was little traction and use it to give myself more momentum.

The idea of floating across the gap on a power other than my own unnerved me though. The mind is just not wired to let you admit you can do this sort of thing. I saw a gap, and all it would let me think about was how stupid I'd look running off the edge and falling down. Coincidentally, this is the same problem that anyone like me faces when trying to learn how to float in the air with your mind alone – you have to conquer that fear before you can become truly effective at it.

Since I already had that experience, I was able to overcome that fear and put the plan into action. My feet slipped and slid on the floor as I started to run, slowly picking up speed. As soon as the post was within my reach I grabbed and pulled, hoping I wouldn't pull myself off course as I screwed up all my courage and ran out over that gap. Where the boots impacted otherwise empty air golden discs appeared in the air, each one lasting just as long as that boot remained in contact.

They gave out just before I reached the slab, but not so soon that I couldn't grab hold of the edge of the stone and pull myself up.

"Insane things," I muttered, putting them away before I went anywhere else. "They're deathtraps waiting to happen to me."

"Useful though," Navi added.

"I don't care how useful these things are, I just had to run across a chasm in them. I wish I could have gone across my way instead, at least that I know I can trust."

"Don't you trust Impa's advice?"

"Of course I do, it's these boots I don't trust. Remember how to deal with those Beamos Statues, by the way? There's one of them at the end of this passage."

"Just chuck a bomb at them," she replied. "Most people just get smoke in their eye because they'll close it, making them safer to pass, but blowing them up is a sure-fire way to get rid of them."

"Whatever works," I said, throwing one toward it. The bomb hit the top of the Beamos, exploding on contact and destroying the entire thing. The room it had been in split off in all four directions, including the passage leading west I'd come down.

Impa had marked that the north and south walls were false, and not to bother going south. The path she'd drawn pointed me north to a room with a note: 'Avoid blades. Already triggered grate. Chest in south-east corner.'

I assumed that meant she'd done whatever was necessary in there to open a grating and allow access to the chest. One less thing for me to worry about. As I passed through the door to the room beyond I understood the first part of the message too, as there were two hooded statues holding great blades, rotating around the room. They were similar to the ice blades I'd seen in the ice cavern, but unlike that room here there wooden remains scattered about the room that made avoiding the blades harder. Some of them looked like they'd once been torture devices, their uses best not thought about.

The blades were slow and raised slightly higher off the ground though, so I was able to duck under them when they approached and reach what appeared to have been a cell in the corner where Impa had directed me. The chest revealed the first small key of the Shadow Temple.

Now I was directed back to the Beamos room and through the east wall, which was not fake but did need a bomb to reveal the locked door behind. I did wonder how Impa had gotten through without needing the key herself, but maybe she knew another way not marked on the map.

This door let me into another passageway that sloped downwards. Part way down there was a suspicious looking shadow on the floor, prompting caution. The Lens of Truth revealed nothing in the passage, but it did reveal a part of the ceiling wasn't actually there, hiding a big Skulltula. A single arrow shot at it defeated it easily, and I headed on down the winding passage, trying to keep track of my direction. Had it not been for the map, I'd have had no idea which way was north.

Another big Skulltula dropped down from concealment around the corner, just close enough that I didn't have time to spot the tell-tale shadow. It wasn't close enough to attack me though, so I just waited for it to turn around and stabbed its vulnerable belly. I've never quite understood why they do that knowing it'll get them killed, but that's monsters for you.

A third was waiting at the bottom of the slopes just before I turned southwards, treated similarly. Around the corner from it was a long and tall corridor, the floor of which was far below where I was right now. I wasn't concerned so much with dropping down to that floor – I knew how to fall short distances safely, after all – but what bothered me was that stretching right across the path ahead were two giant guillotines, operating on their own.

I took a moment to watch them and found they had a pattern to them. Drop down, rise up, drop only part way down and stop with just enough room and time for me to get through, then fall the rest of the way, rise again and repeat. Easy enough to pass once you take a moment to study the pattern.

Yet another big Skulltula awaited between the two guillotines, also defeated, then I turned south again and found one of the inconveniences of not having Navi warn me about certain things.

The passage opened into a giant cavern that had no bottom, just pillars reaching up to support the stone platforms scattered about it. From the opening I stood in, I could see I was going to have to travel over three of these platforms to reach the far side, each one sporting another giant guillotine.

And yet, while I waited I somehow missed the signs of the growing shadow below me and even the sound of something rushing through the air, only to have a Wallmaster drop down on top of me and grab me in an almost rib-cracking tight grip. Struggle as I might I couldn't get free. Everything went dark for a moment, then I was dropped and found myself in the passageway at the start of the Temple again.

I stood for a few moments taking in what had happened, then finally said, "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"What happened?" Navi said.

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Navi. I just got dragged back to the entrance by a Wallmaster."

"Oh, Silver," she sighed. "Didn't you notice the signs?"

"I'm used to having you warn me about them," I replied, dropping into the pit once again. This time thankfully the hook was already in place from my last attempt, still set in place to allow me back up easier. "Anyway, I was distracted by the room I'd gotten into."

"What about the map? Didn't it say anything?"

"I haven't looked actually," I said, pausing in switching over to the Hover boots again so I could cross the chasm once more. "If it warns me about it, I'm going to feel even worse about getting caught by it."

Not only did Impa warn me about the Wallmaster on the route, but she'd also warned me about the Skulltulas and even the pattern to the guillotines. I grumbled about it a bit as I continued to make my way back to where I'd made my mistake, at least finding it easier to cross the chasm a second time now that I knew it was possible.

When I finally made my way back to where it had nabbed me, I decided to teach it a lesson. Without my mind I couldn't have the same effect I had in the Forest Temple, but I did have Biggoron's sword. I held it up above me, awkwardly because of its weight and size, but enough that when it came down this time it impaled itself on the sword.

It wasn't enough to finish it off though, and the combined weight was enough to send me staggering back uncomfortably close to an edge. I almost dropped the sword in swinging it down, making sure I was aiming for the edge opposite me. The Wallmaster slid back up the blade, and then off it down into the pit below.

Now I didn't have to worry about it, I set about making my way across the cavern. Once I decided I could leap the gaps between the platforms without needing the Hover boots I decided to go that way, taking care not to get too close to the guillotine blades as I made my way to a larger platform attached to the south wall, only to be confronted with a Stalfos.

Well, I'd defeated these things before without my mind, I could do it again. I might have cheated a little though, instead of trying to attack through its defences I used my own shield to push it back toward the until it was stuck on one corner. A solid shove of the shield into its face caused it to lose its balance and fall after the Wallmaster. These pits were coming in useful.

Now that I was relatively safe, I took the chance to examine the map again. Impa's path led me west, but there was another note here that suggested if I was short of arrows I could reveal hidden platforms to the east, leading to a room with another pair of scythes, this time invisible, that had chests in the back. It didn't lead anywhere else, but it would restock my quiver at least.

Impa hadn't mentioned that there was a flock of Keese in the room as well though, or that one of the chests at the back was also invisible. Even though I knew where it was, I still needed the Lens of Truth to open it. They're strangely hard to open when you can't see what you're doing, but stranger still is that once I'd opened the invisible chest, it became visible normally.

The other chest here just held rupees to add to my growing collection, so with the goods collected I headed back out into the Guillotine cavern, shoved another Stalfos (or for all I know, the same one) into the pit, then crossed to a platform that rose and fell, avoiding spiked chunks of metal on the next ledge where another of Impa's notes told me she'd already triggered the mechanism here too, and headed west into the next room.


	47. Pushing Back

Now I'd been in the Shadow Temple for a time, I was starting to find it wasn't as inconvenient as I'd first thought. I still keenly felt the loss of what I've always thought of as my biggest asset, frequently having to remind myself that the simple solutions it offered weren't available to me here, but I was starting to grow used to the idea. In some ways, it offered solutions that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

The next room was one such situation. The map already told me this was another dead-end room, but both Impa's guiding marks and the map's own symbols told me there was a small key in this room, and I'd yet to find a Temple that didn't need them.

It appeared as I entered to have once been a prison, with low stone blocks fronted with solid bars on either side of the room. Above the central passage however there were two massive chunks of metal hanging from the ceiling, each one of them covered with spikes on the bottom. Just getting close to their shadow on the floor made them rumble and drop down with very little room to spare, a distinctly startling experience.

The chest holding the key was apparently on top of the first cell on my right, and would only appear by stepping on a switch on a cell to the right. Had I been in full possession of my abilities, I would simply have ignored the traps, floated up to trigger the switch and then over to the chest, without ever putting myself in danger of the spikes.

Obviously, that option wasn't available to me. Impa's only advice here was to find a message near the door, so I searched the area and came across an old sign, fading lettering painted on it in something red:

'Only one with the eye of truth will find the stone-' then there was a word I couldn't interpret, and it went on, 'that protects against the rain of blades'.

The message was clear enough, even if I couldn't read all of it. The Lens of Truth gave me a fresh look at the room, revealing a large stone block hidden behind a false wall, just before the place the traps would fall. All I had to do was push it before me and the traps would hit it instead of me.

Although slow progress – it was heavy, and as I've mentioned before, that kind of thing doesn't come to me easily – it worked perfectly. I had to pause when the stone block was about to leave the area the first trap covered, already encroaching on the shadow of the second. After I edged cautiously forward to be sure it would prevent that one from getting me too, I took hold of a moon design carved into the side of the block and pulled it the rest of the way.

From there all I had to do was climb up on top of the block to reach the switch, then use the top of the spike traps to reach the chest that appeared. It had taken longer than it could have, but it was an effective mundane alternative.

Now I was directed back to the cavern, following a different set of platforms that were parallel to the first, and only the first of which had a guillotine on. The other two were invisible, but thankfully still there even if I couldn't see them. Do you know, it's strangely unnerving when you look down only to find it looks like you're stood on empty air? You wouldn't think something like that would bother me.

The second of those invisible platforms was moving from the one I stood on to the door I needed to reach, also hidden behind another false wall illusion. Taking the leap on and off that platform was more of a leap of faith than crossing the original chasm with the Hover boots had been, but I made it safely.

Before I'd even passed through this latest locked door I heard the low moans that told me Redeads were present, and I had a feeling there was something else I wasn't seeing. The song I'd learned back in the Royal Family's tomb stunned the Redeads, then I looked through the Lens once again.

There were rows of metal spikes scattered about the floor. Good thing I hadn't tried to just walk through them! Several silver rupees were scattered about the room, but there was one that was going to be troublesome. It was only reachable from a high ledge, which in turn was only visible through the lens. There was no apparent way of reaching it.

"I know this place is hard on you," I said aloud. "But would you mind lending me that fairy ingenuity here?"

Navi flitted out, her light still pale but stronger than it had been earlier.

"What's the problem, Silver? Why haven't you dealt with those Redeads?"

"They're no threat stunned. I'll re-play the song if it starts to wear off. Look over there – through the lens," I said, then gave her my assessment of the situation.

Navi thought about the problem for a time, then said, "I think you did the right thing, leaving the Redeads. Shoot an ice arrow at that one," she directed me.

I didn't yet see her logic but did as she said, touching the cold blue crystal to an arrow then firing it at the first Redead, crouched clutching at its knees. When the arrow hit, the Redead shook off the stun, starting to rose only to become encased in a block of ice.

"Oh, I see," I said, then shot the other Redead, which was already standing. It was treated similarly.

"Now you'll just have to put the frozen Redeads in a position you can use them as stairs. I don't know how long that ice will last though, and you'll have to watch your hands."

"Navi, I've got these gauntlets on – not to mention my own gloves underneath. I'll be fine."

"I hope you're right. Not to put any pressure on you Silver, but would you hurry up? I really don't like it here."

"Doing the best I can, Navi," I assured her, letting her return to her cover before I set about handling the room.

To find out how long the ice would last, I decided to collect the silver rupees that I could get from the floor first, then I started to move the second frozen Redead. The ice chilled my hands even through the gloves and gauntlets, but it was safe to move this irregular block of ice about the room.

Disturbingly, the Redeads continued to make their moans even though they were completely frozen. The first one defrosted, for whatever reason sinking back down to hold its knees again as I shot it a second time, quickly getting clear of the second so I wouldn't be too close when it did the same.

When I finally got them in position I was able to climb up to the unseen platform collect the last silver rupee, causing the bars of the west door to open. I had enough time to get back down again and shoot a fire arrow at the two Redeads to defrost and defeat them at the same time. They'd been useful, but that didn't make them indispensible.

Beyond the door was a short but tall room with twin staircases on either side, occasionally with Keese roosting on the sides, but the main feature of the room was a giant skull with a burning blue flame shooting out the top.

Two keese flew through similar blue torches above me to become fire keese, oddly burning red instead of blue like the torch. I shot an ice arrow at one, figuring the two would cancel out only for it to turn blue and become an ice keese. A fire arrow similarly changed it back, forcing me to defeat them with plain arrows.

More keese roosted on the raised area behind the skull, also shot down. Some pots up here allowed me to restock my quiver, while another small collection concealed a bomb flower. It wasn't immediately apparent why this should be here or what I should do, until I once again consulted the map. Impa's advice was, once again, to use a bomb – or the flower – by dropping one into the skull from above.

My aim when throwing things is not always good, particularly without the corrective benefit of my mind, so I used up several bombs before I finally got one in, shattering the skull to reveal a small key, bent slightly due to the detonation. I hoped it would still work the same as any other, but those that had survived the Gorons in the Fire Temple seemed to be alright, so this probably would too.

Now I was pointed back into the room before, where the Redeads were back. Using the same trick as last time, I moved them into a position to leave by the north door instead, unlocking it with the key I'd just obtained – just to make sure it would work.

This left me in a long, twisting passageway with more spikes in the floor that moved from one side to the other, and fans that started and stopped, blowing hard enough that I wasn't going to make any progress against them.

With some reluctance I heaved out the Iron boots, wading along – sorry, but there's no better word for it, even without water – even in the face of the strong currents that howled around me. The spikes moved slow enough that I was just about able to avoid them, though one did scratch a leg slightly. Just enough to graze, nothing serious this time.

After rounding a corner a big Skulltula dropped down, long before I got to it. Maybe it was curious about the metal clomping of me coming down the passageway – at least until it got an arrow to the face. I'd have aimed for the knee, but Skulltulas have a knee on every leg.

Around another corner I was confronted with another pit too long to jump across even if I wasn't wearing these heavy metal boots, and to make it worse this time, there was another fan mounted on the far wall that periodically sent more air currents my way.

It had a long wait between those gusts though, and I came up with a plan. I couldn't leap the gap, but if I had enough momentum I might be able to run most of it with the Hover boots. All I had to do was time it so the fan wasn't blowing at the time. If I made a mistake, I'd be blown into the current of the fans behind me, which would blow me right back the way I'd come. With the Hover boots on, I'd be relatively powerless to stop this.

Since there was another ladder leading up from the pit floor on this side, I used it to get down – breaking one or two rungs on the way because of the Iron boots – then switched them over for the Hover boots and climbed back up just as the fan stopped blowing.

I wasn't going to try crossing just yet, as climbing up had used bit valuable time. I crouched low, keeping hold of the top of the ladder to stop myself from being blown away, waiting patiently for the fan to start, then stop again. When it stopped this time I pushed against the ladder to give myself an initial boost, using the walls to keep shoving myself along. Somehow I managed to make it before the Hover boots gave out, and even drop down into the gap on the other side, all before the fan started again.

I could see from here the path continued straight ahead, a stone bridge over another seemingly bottomless chasm below. More fans were on the walls on either side of the bridge, and a closed silver eye switch was mounted above the door at the far end.

Impa's advice here was strange to say the least. With the map and a quick glance at one wall with the Lens to reveal a hidden path way it made slightly more sense. She advised making my way past the fans when they weren't blowing to the fan opposite that hidden pathway, then letting the fan catch me with the Hover boots to blow me across the gap.

She also made note that I should shoot the eye switch as soon as it opened, or it would attack. An eye switch that attacks? This was new to me.

Since I was going to have to pass more air currents I exchanged Hover for Iron once again, stomping my way toward and then across the bridge, completely ignoring the currents. I held the bow ready to fire, aimed for the eye switch. As I cleared the first air current it opened, and I shot – only to miss. Too high! The eye switch closed again, and a burst of fire shot back toward me. I brushed it aside with my shield, taking aim again. It opened, and I missed – this time too low.

Now I was stood right beside the hidden route, shield poised to knock aside the flame the eye shot at me. The third shot I took struck true at last causing the the switch to burn away, defeated. I moved just clear enough of the fan to switch back to the Hover boots, then in spite of the doubts I had about this, positioned myself ready to be blown across the gap.

In retrospect, I should have used the Lens to make sure I was properly aligned. I made it across, don't mistake me – but only after I hit one corner on the way. It was like slamming face first into a wall, and to add insult to injury I swear I could hear the spirits of the dead laughing at me.

That was perhaps their mistake. In a fit of frustration and irritation, I recalled what Sheik had said just before I'd come in and snapped out, "Give me a hand here, will you?" I hadn't actually said it at anything or anyone in particular, but in my mind at least I'd intended it to be for the resident piece of the Triforce.

In response to that the golden triangle glowed brightly, causing the spirits I heard to recoil back an a chorus of cries. Navi flitted out to find out what was going on, glowing brightly once again with a slight golden hue that suggested she too was being benefited by this, as the roaring assault of the spirits was driven back – not completely, but enough that I was able to regain my focus. It was an effort to achieve anything still as it had only lessened their attack, but I at least had some focus back.

I knew why it had only done as much as it had. With its power it could probably have drowned them out entirely, but that would have been the sort of thing the wielder of the Triforce of Power would have done. This piece had made it more bearable, allowed me to stand up to it and regain some of what I'd lost to them – but it wasn't going to do things for me.


	48. Shadow Force

With my piece of the Triforce bolstering our strength and allowing me to do more than I had before we moved on with renewed resolve. The door that had been concealed behind the false wall was not locked, but it let us into a room with a new take on an old enemy. Two mummies stood in the room, their heads hung slightly like Redeads.

"Gibdos," Navi said shortly. "Just think of them as Redeads wearing clothes. If you burn away all the wraps you'll find a Redead anyway."

Naturally, they went the same way as other Redeads. Fire was a singularly effective means of dealing with them, enough so here that with some focus back I was able to use Din's Fire in different ways again.

Once they were both down a chest appeared containing more bombs, which seemed unusual since aside from the Dead Hand and the giant skull pot, I hadn't found any need for them in here. The map pointed out another key mark in the room, and Impa's notes confirmed it.

At her direction a bomb blew up a pile of rotting... stuff, only to reveal nothing – until I looked again through the Lens to find an invisible chest that had another small key, used immediately to unlock the door opposite where I'd entered.

Now the Temple changed. Rather than being a collection of passageways and small rooms, with only a few exceptions to it, I was now in a cavernous but still clearly man-made room. On my right there was a tall ledge, on the left another that was rendered inaccessible by gratings, and ahead of me was a deep chasm with a ship floating on what appeared to be mist within it.

The ship was moored up by two ropes, one to a metal post in front of me, the other up on the high ledge. Since the chasm, the map and Impa's marks all pointed to travelling west and the spirits, despite my best efforts, would still not let me fly on my own power, I climbed up the first rope, cutting it away once aboard the ship – which was itself, completely unmanned, giving no reaction to my presence at all. There wasn't even any access into the ship itself I noticed as I cut the second rope. The ship moved slightly now it was free, but continued to float in the misty chasm without concern.

On the deck was the familiar Triforce symbol of the Royal Family requiring Zelda's lullaby to trigger something once again. Here, it was to start the ship moving with some ethereal bells pealing, and also to summon not one but four Stalfos, and to make matters worse they'd decided not to share the same honourable method as previous ones, all coming at me at once.

Well, I had a new idea for this. I sheathed the Master Sword, which puzzled them as it would anyone. I was faced with four enemies, what possible reason could I have had for putting away my weapons?

One of them edged close, failing to notice my hands reaching for the handle of Biggoron's sword. As it raised its blade in attack I whipped the great blade out, turning it so the flat of the sword would hit it and have the most effect as I swung. The attack startled it, causing it to flinch back as a chunk of its spine and several ribs went flying along with its sword arm, then several swift follow up blows sent the rest of it flying to either side of the ship.

Another charged me, apparently with the idea that since I already had the sword out the same trick wouldn't work twice. It learned its lesson when I sent its head flying off the ship entirely, leaving the rest of the Stalfos to wander around aimlessly until it fell overboard.

By that time I was already heading for the other two. They held their shields higher to protect their heads, so I struck low instead and knocked their legs out from underneath them, then divested them of their arms as well only to finish them off by leaving a bomb inside their ribcages to finish them off. They stared in mute shock at the bombs, but with their arms and legs gone they had no way of doing anything about it.

I like fighting Stalfos. They might learn a bit, but its fun coming up with new ways to get rid of them.

The fight with them had taken time though, allowing the ship to make its journey to the other side of the long chasm where it collided with the wall and started to sink. I leapt the gap to 'shore' which was just another stone floor, though in considerable disrepair. There was a second, much smaller chasm separating me from another strip of stone floor, this one not safe enough to leap. I reasoned I could make it on the Hover Boots, but there was a door to the west that Impa wanted me to go to first.

At first look the room that led us to was empty. As the Water Temple had taught us the hard way, this is suspicious, so we gave it a second look through the lens, only to find a wall blocking our view. I held it in one hand and Din's Fire in the other to deal with anything that might come my way, since the last thing I wanted to come across here was an invisible Redead.

All we actually found amidst the invisible walls were two invisible Floormasters, close cousins of the Wallmasters but incapable of taking me back to the entrance and also incapable of flight. They would turn green on spotting me, floating up to charge at me, but were unable to change direction once they'd taken off, making them easy targets.

Killing them didn't do very much though except to turn them into three smaller Floormasters. Navi advised I get rid of them all quickly, or they'd turn into bigger ones again. I made sure that didn't happen, clearing the room of them before I moved on.

This room had four exits, one in each of the four main directions. Since I'd come in from the east door and fighting the Floormasters had left me near the south, I decided to check them clockwise, leading me to a dirt room through the south door that had another invisible Floormaster in. Defeating it got me another small key for the collection, and I headed back a room to take the west door.

That turned out to be a waste of time, as even Impa hadn't bothered with it. The room was identical to the one I'd seen the giant skull pot in and was treated similarly, but blowing up this skull pot only gave me rupees and arrows.

North was a different story. I let myself into the room and looked about, only to see the room was well lit, but also empty. Two wooden barriers covered in similar wooden spikes made the side walls of the room, and as I stepped further into the room they started to move toward me.

They were merely wood though, and wood burns easily – as did the Redeads hiding behind the spiked barriers. One of them was also guarding the ornate chest that held the Big Key, the last important item I needed here.

I headed back to where the boat had dropped me off, the boat itself gone now, and used the Hover boots to make my way over the smaller chasm to the southwards door. The last of my small keys unlocked it, letting me into a room that but for a few small and thin platforms scattered about the room was merely another bottomless pit. The Lens of Truth revealed several more, and as I'd had the foresight to leave the Hover boots on it wasn't long before I'd made my way across and around the room to reach the imposing boss door.

All that was beyond was a pit in the middle of the round room, leaving me no choice but to drop the considerable distance into the darkness below. Part way down a giant hand snatched me out of the air only to deposit me safely on something that looked suspiciously like a giant drum.

_"So thou hast come,"_ a voice sounded – the one that had escaped from the well. _"Now here thou art in the heart of my power, beyond the reach of thine dark alternate and bereft of thy mind."_

"You think that will stop me?" I demanded out loud. "You really think it'll make any difference against me, the Hero of Time?"

_"Do not think that thy title excuses thee from the natural order. Thou canst not hope to stand against me, though I commend thee for making it this far. I have power beyond thy comprehension, yet you would still pit thy puny might against mine?"_

"Like I said – I'm a Hero. This is nothing to me."

_"Such bravado ill befits one who will soon become one with all others who remain in despair within this Temple, Silver."_

"Enough babbling. Either come out and face me, or run away like a coward."

_"Then behold the terror of my true form and cower brief mortal, for I am Bongo-Bongo, last of the shadow tribe to walk this land of Hyrule when all others were banished through the Mirror of Twilight!"_

The presence grew even stronger still, out of the darkness emerging the creature I'd seen momentarily when it had threatened me, but now I saw it in person the true immensity of it grew on me. The hands alone easily dwarfed me, drifting in the air as if still attached to the stumps that grew from the body of Bongo-Bongo itself, the single red eye that took the place of its head staring balefully at me.

I suspect the Triforce of Courage may have had a hand in what happened next without bothering to consult me. Somehow I managed to keep my cool during all this despite what I was seeing, returning Bongo-Bongo's stare coldly as I reached for the bow.

"Behold this," I told it and loosed the arrow. One hand swiped at the arrow but the arrow was long past the giant hand by the time it had swiped close enough. Bongo-Bongo faded out of sight, leaving only the hands present, now slamming on what I was sure now was a drum as its surface rippled back with a low boom.

The Lens of Truth revealed where Bongo-Bongo was, but it did not reveal its eye. It was somehow closed up and inaccessible. One hand made a swipe for me, but like the arrow because of my far smaller size I was able to evade it easily, quickly shooting an arrow after it. Then hand turned blue, shaking in the air. Something that small had hurt it that badly?

Now the other hand came in for me, but it had to reach around the first as I used it as cover while I readied another arrow. When it finally reached me I shot it too, and it stayed in the air also blue and shaking.

Now what was I supposed to do? Navi answered that, somehow overcoming the spirits of the dead to take the Lens of Truth from me and putting it between me and Bongo-Bongo's main body, allowing me to see that the eye was open. I shot for it again, and this time it got him, sending the body crashing down onto the drum in full visibility. I took a leaf from the battle with Queen Gohma then, discarding the bow in favour of the Master Sword and striking out at his eye as much as I could, even daring to keep attacking as he tried to get up and back out of reach, where he faded out again.

The hands remained, though now they moved further away, no longer apparently tied to its body. They ranged around, continuing to drum away trying to catch me by surprise when they swiped at me, either trying to catch me or to shove me off into whatever surrounded the drum.

I shot one with an ice arrow to see what effect it would have, freezing it in place where it thudded down onto the drum. The other hand had been opposite, but now vanished with the same strange musical sound that I'd only heard before when Tails had reappeared in the Temple of Time.

This time the sound came from both sides of me though, the hand disappearing on my right while it formed again on the left. Once it had appeared it started to bash away at the ice, sending giant slivers of it flying in all directions – until I gave it the same treatment.

Once again Bongo-Bongo opened its eye, only this time it charged for me. I shot several arrows in quick succession, hoping any one of them would hit – only to get my wish as it crashed down so close it was almost right on top of me, the force of the impact combined with the drum itself sending me to my feet.

I was quick to rise back up again and resume my original assault, hacking and slashing away for all I was worth. For a creature that claimed to have 'powers beyond my comprehension' it didn't seem to be much of a threat in a purely physical battle.

Again it managed to escape and hide, but this time I was prepared. One hand was down again almost before it had managed to get back into the air, and the other quickly followed. Bongo-Bongo charged, but received another arrow in his eye and a good few more strikes and he writhed back, the hands almost snapping back on to his body as he seemed to dissolve, not downwards but up – into a strange black portal with red lines over it.

_"This is not the end, Silver!" _it cried out. _"I shall remain within the realm of shadow awaiting the day we meet again, and in that battle I _will_ defeat you!"_


	49. Gerudo Valley

Predictably, Impa was once again already waiting for me as I descended into the Temple of Light, the effects of the Shadow Temple cleansed from my mind now to give me clarity and focus once again.

"The princess told me you would likely be the one on the night we fled into hiding," she said without preamble. "You have become a fine image of a hero since we last met. Your adventure will surely be spoken of for many years to come."

"I couldn't have made it through without the guidance you left for me. Well, not nearly as readily, anyway."

"You're too modest, Silver. You are a fine credit to the name of the Hero."

"Speaking of other Heros..."

"No," Impa said before I went any further. "I cannot tell you of them. The legends we pass down speak of them, but I do not personally know them. So now I bid you take this Medallion and awaken the last sage. The princess, no, the very world itself awaits the final confrontation, Silver!"

* * *

I landed back on the warp panel in the graveyard late in the night, the storm I'd called long since past. The fires appeared to have been put out in Kakariko itself as no more smoke was coming from it. I hopped back down into the main graveyard and made my way back through toward town, only to be stopped by a sleepy looking guard.

"You're Silver, right?" he said, fending off a yawn.

"That's me. What did I do?"

"Only save the town. A Sheikah told us about you, said we should keep watch for your return from the Temple. If you need anything, we'll be happy to provide it." His yawn finally escaped, then he added, "Only in the morning, if you wouldn't mind."

"That's alright," I laughed. "Just find me a place to sleep for the rest of the night, and I'll be fine."

"I'm sure we can arrange something for our local Hero. Just come with me, and we'll have something in no time."

Letting people know you're a Hero has its good points. That's not to say it's right to overuse such things, but it does help. People tend to go out of their way to help you if they think they owe you something.

The barkeep in the towns sole inn was more than happy to let me stay overnight, leaving the guard to remind me if I needed anything in the morning to just let the guards know. Since I no longer needed arrows, having restocked while in the Temple, I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head, but I was weary and I'd gone through two Temples in one day. A good nights sleep was what I needed right now.

It felt strange to me, not because of everything I'd done so far but because it felt like only a short time ago I had first met the Great Deku Tree, and now all that was left was one last Temple and then a final showdown with the so-called King of Evil.

I rose early the next morning, not out of choice or because something had woken me, looking out of the window of my room to the top of Ganondorf's tower in the distance.

"Lock your doors and windows, Ganondorf," I murmured. "You won't be able to conquer this storm as easily as you did Hyrule."

"I thought we agreed you'd stop bashing your head on things," Navi replied sleepily. "You're talking to yourself again."

"Not really. I just thought I'd warn Ganondorf I'm coming for him."

"He can't hear you, you know."

"Maybe not, but at least I know I've said it. Can you think of anything we need before we leave?"

"More sleep," she murmured. "Go back to bed Silver. It's far too early to be early."

I can't say I got much sleep after then, but at least I was well rested when I got up. I wandered the town to see what damage had been done, but it there appeared to have been far worse than it had first looked. When the workmen showed up to make their repairs I offered to lend a hand, but it seemed Sheik had stressed the importance of my own task to them and I was wished on my way.

Rather than warp there by Farore's Wind I took Epona out of the stables and rode there instead. It took longer but Epona had been there for a while now, and it didn't seem fair to leave her there. Once we got out of Kakariko she gave me an idea of just how much she wanted to run, settling quickly into a ground eating gallop that also wore very hard on my backside until I adjusted for it. I'm not exactly the worlds best horsemen, you know.

Several Poes attacked on the journey, the first time I'd seen any kind of monster life on the Hyrule Field of the future. They were bigger than their cousins I'd seen up until now, but even on horseback I was a fair shot and persuaded them to go play somewhere else.

Although I'd never gone into Gerudo Valley itself before now, I had an idea of what to expect. It was called the gateway to the desert at the end of the world, and the final Temple had been described as being within a 'goddess of the sand', further confirming it.

On the other hand I can't be sure what happened to Gerudo Valley between my visit and Tails', since he had to resort to other means to reach it.

The entrance from Hyrule Field lay beyond a deep chasm that showed the signs of being naturally formed, perhaps by a waterfall that had long since turned into the rapidly flowing river below – the river that came from Zora's Domain, and ended in Lake Hylia, of course. There had once been a bridge spanning the gap, but now only the supports on either side remained.

Epona, apparently oblivious to this, continued right for it.

"I don't want to trouble you, but the bridge is out," I told her hurridly.

Epona flicked an ear and managed to find even more speed. She leapt the gap at a dead run, reminding me momentarily of our running Ingo out of the ranch, landing on the supports on the other side with heavy hoofbeats, slowing to half-turn back with a snort as she looked back to me.

"Alright, I'm sorry I doubted you," I apologised to her. "I forgot how determined you are when it comes to jumping."

Epona appeared mollified by that, starting slower toward a canyon, though she paused by a man as he came out of one of several tents.

"Say, you that Hero they're all talking about?" he called up to me.

"If I'm not, I'm so good an imposter I don't even know it," I replied lightly.

"Very droll," the fellow chuckled. "I see you're headed into Gerudo Valley. Be careful in there – the Gerudos are all women, and very fierce. They came out here and destroyed the bridge, and when my men went off after them for whatever stupid reason, they got themselves locked up again."

"Maybe they'll overlook me as a special case because I'm not Hylian," I wondered.

"I wouldn't count on it, but if you do will you find them and get them back here for me? There's only four of them, but even a foreman can't be repairing this bridge on his own, you know?" He squinted up at me, then also said, "You might want to leave your horse here too. Can't say I've got much to feed her, I'll admit, but better safe here than risking them Gerudos taking her off your hands."

Epona didn't give the impression of liking this, but I took some of the edge off that by telling her, "Go ahead and roam on your own, Epona. Just don't wander off too far, and if you do listen out for Malon's song. I'll play that to let you know when I need you, 'kay?"

"She's just a horse," the foreman remarked as I dismounted.

"She's a very intelligent horse," I corrected him, watching Epona circle round and easily leap back to the other side. "She'll be fine, and if anything happens I'm pretty sure she'll head up to Lon Lon Ranch, since that's where she and I met. It'll let her run for a bit and graze as she wants."

"Hope you're right. Hate to see someone else take her off your hands, you know?"

"Don't worry, she'll be fine. I'll see about getting your workers back while I'm in the valley."

"Much obliged to you, ah..."

"It's Silver," I supplied, heading into the valley proper through the rocky canyon leading further in. It showed signs of recent use with rocks scattered around. In the sands behind one of them was what looked like the remains of a crude diagram, perhaps drawn by the Gerudos as they planned their attack on the bridge.

After a ways it opened out into a vast sandstone fortress, patrolled by the Gerudo women. They were tall, tanned and all armed with either a spear or two curved swords. What they wore left little to the imagination, though more so than the Great Fairies did at least.

I remained concealed behind a large stone, examining the many entrances and exits to the fortress itself. What little of it wasn't patrolled was either in the line of sight of at least one Gerudo or in such a position that it didn't matter.

The gateway into the desert lay at the west end of the valley, long past the fortress itself and even the route there was guarded. I reached out to the nearest Gerudo, lightly touching her mind so I wouldn't be detected by any of them that might share my gift, and then once I knew what a Gerudo mind was like I went searching further in, seeking out the minds that didn't match.

There were, as the foreman had told me, only four of them, all Hylian and scattered throughout the fortress. I guided Navi, who was feeling the layout of the place again instead of searching for minds and we built up a rough idea of where each of them were and even what to expect in the rooms. They were all held in cells, and each cell had a distinct Gerudo mind in – a guard probably to keep watch over them.

Once we figured out an idea of which doors would lead to which workers I decided it was time to get to work myself. There was no easy route to any of them, but since the most guards were on the eastern side of the fortress I decided to tackle it west to east.

First I crouched low, using the rocks and occasional boxes to sneak up on the fortress while staying as much out of view as possible, masking any sound I might make by floating along instead of walking, which would have scrunched the sand beneath my boots – a dead giveaway. The Gerudos got around the same problem themselves with special footwear that seemed to make almost no sound at all.

I made it to the foot of the steps leading up to the fortress, though I still had to stay low and keep quiet because there were several guards at the top that were patrolling in such a way that no matter what I tried, they'd see – or hear – me. I was in a relatively safe spot for the moment, provided none of them had any intentions of heading for these steps.

To get around this, I employed my mind once again, searching ahead not for people but for something inanimate I could use as a distraction. This time it was Navi guiding me, having already picked up a fair idea of the area. There was a line of tall storage crates that, she told me, had just enough room behind them for someone like me to hide behind. Rather than let me put anything in place she reached out to act instead, having an inspiration of her own.

At first I didn't hear anything, then there seemed to be the sound of someone running across the sand, along with several thumps of something against wood. I made a guess that she'd played with the sand and the crates to make the sound of someone trying to take cover behind them, disturbing one of the crates then hurridly trying to stop it moving.

This fooled the Gerudos, who of course believed they were in fact _not_ being fooled by this. Three of them went to investigate with a cry of, "Halt! Stay where you are and put your hands above your head!" while I risked peeking up. There were still two other guards on this level and two more up on higher levels, but their attention was on Navi's distraction, allowing me to slip past them and behind some more storage crates.

The Gerudos found nothing, puzzling them as they regrouped to discuss this. I chanced it and made for the nearest door, hoping they wouldn't notice me if I continued to make no sound at all, and made it safely inside. Better yet, just around the corner from here was one of the workers – I'd scored nicely this time.

There was still presence of a Gerudo guard in the room, but as I peeked around the corner, edging into view of the room I couldn't see her or anywhere she could be hiding. There were only two cells on one side of the room, one of them occupied of course, but no Gerudo. I'd have to take my chances again.

The workman noticed me as I came into full view, but I noticed remained quiet, beckoning for me to come over to him.

"You're that Hero they're talking about, aren't you?" he whispered.

"Honestly, does everyone know about me already? Yes, I am. Your foreman asked me to get you and your friends out of here. What were you doing going after the Gerudos anyway?"

He fidgeted uneasily, then said, "Well, we've been out here for a while now... and we were all kinda lonesome for, well, that kind of company, you know? I mean, have you seen the women here? But they're just not interested!"

I stared at him, then sighed. "That's what you got yourself caught for? Seriously?"

"Maybe it's different for you uh..."

"No. It really isn't," I told him, moving to examine the lock. "I'll have to go looking for a key for this, picking locks isn't something I do."

"Be careful then. There are Gerudo guards everywhere, and there's bound to be one around here somewhere."

"Watch out!" Navi cried, giving the alarm. I turned quickly to find a Gerudo holding two curved blades was rushing me. I was tempted for a moment to throw her aside mentally, but for some reason I had a hunch it would be better for me to keep it mundane. I blocked her first blow with my shield, rolling underneath the second as I brushed past her, drawing the Master Sword as I came back to my feet.

She'd moved swiftly to round back on me, but by this point I had sword and shield in hand and was ready – or so I hoped. She continued to move with speed and grace, making it hard for me to break through and harm her – not that I wanted to, but it was looking like the only way.

Then to my astonishment, she broke off her attack, backed off and used a Deku Nut to conceal her escape, leaving behind a small key. What was going on here? Neither one of us had the edge, neither of us had actually harmed the other. We'd ducked, dodged, blocked and evaded each other, but that was all.

Despite the this bewildering development, I found the key was much like those I'd found in the Temples, unlocked the cell door for the workman, than to ensure he didn't get caught again, I used Farore's Wind to send him to the valley entrance.


	50. Becoming a Gerudo

I continued to sneak around the Gerudo Fortress, evading more guards as I went through the labyrinthine passages and rooms that made it up. Like most Hylians, as long as I didn't make any sound to attract their attention they didn't bother to look up, allowing me to pass through rooms that would otherwise have needed much more stealth.

The second workman was reached through a door hidden behind the crates we'd used as a distraction before. The Gerudos had moved the crates so no one could hide behind them, but the same deception worked a second time on some different crates. I overheard them talking about it, complaining about the false alarms until one of them who must have been a superior told them they couldn't afford to just assume it was or wasn't a false alarm.

Like the first, the workman was locked in a cell with the sense of another Gerudo not far, but well concealed. This time I approached the situation differently, waving the workman into silence.

"I know you're there," I told the empty room. "And I know you have the cell key. Why don't you come out where I can see you?"

The Gerudo, identical to the one who'd attacked me before, dropped down out of her concealment above what I guessed was a false ceiling, her twin blades held threateningly.

"Who are you who can tell such things?" she demanded harshly.

"The name's Silver," I replied. "Also known as the Hero of Time – among the Hylians, anyway."

"Not with Ganondorf then?"

"Don't be silly. I've a bone to pick with him."

"Lets see you prove you're a Hero then," she said flatly, then lunged for me. I had hoped I'd be able to talk her out of another attack. She seemed just as determined to break through my defences as the last guard, even using similar tactics. I knew from that first battle it was unlikely without my mind I would be able to get her back, but at least I could hold her off.

One blade whistled uncomfortably close at one point and instinctively I reacted to push the blade away to avoid harm. As often seemed to happen in such situations I misjudged the force I put behind it and the blade was sent from her hand to clatter away. With only one blade left in hand, I put myself between her and the blade to keep it that way and pressed my attack.

She was very agile, still able to avoid actually getting caught by my own attacks, but because of that she was also attacking much less often, allowing me to take a more aggressive stance. Eventually like the first she backed away, tossing a key between us before she used a Deku Nut to make her escape.

This still puzzled me, even with the differences. True, I'd disarmed her and she attacked less often because of that, but I still hadn't been able to hit her as such. What reason would she have to run? I thought it through, absently having the key unlock the cell on its own so I could send the second workman back to work – something I think disturbed him more than the fight he'd just witnessed, actually – then set about finding the third one.

He turned out to be easy to find in the room just above, the route to it not watched except for one guard that was too far away to be of any real concern, and even then I waited until she was facing away before I made my move.

The third workman's cell was guarded by a Gerudo in plain sight who'd obviously been waiting for me. I barely had time to enter the room before she attacked me, once again I noticed using the exact same tactics. Perhaps I'd been fighting the same one over and over again?

I'd grown wise to this now though, able to better hold off her attacks while I waited for the opening I knew would come. Again I divested her of one blade, putting her on the defensive while I did my best to either land an attack or separate her from the other blade. When I eventually did do so, she also covered her escape with a Deku Nut, leaving behind the cell key.

Something really didn't seem right now, and not just with the battles. The guards outside all acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, continuing with their patrols. All of my fights so far had been within earshot of them though. At the very least they should have heard the sounds of my sword on their blades, but there was no reaction at all.

Then there was the guards themselves. I'd thought before that they couldn't know I was here, but this one had clearly been waiting for me. Even then, why had they all concentrated more on not getting hurt, besides their own self-preservation? Why had they not raised the alarm, choosing to attack me instead and then run when they started to run into trouble? I was definitely overlooking something, and that bothered me.

Once again I sent the workman on ahead, pausing afterwards this time to reach out and ensure he and the other two had not in fact been caught again. I found his mind heading back up the canyon toward the destroyed bridge, where the other two already were. They were safe, at least.

The last workman was on the far eastern side of the fortress, and to reach him I realised I was either going to have to take extra pains to keep out of sight, or travel in plain view of all the patrolling guards on the lower levels and hope I could free him before the alarm was raised.

My suspicions had also been raised though, and I rather recklessly decided to take the latter course. I ensured there were no Gerudos that could reach my directly, almost all of them having to go through at least three parts of the fortress to reach me, only overlooking the one that, if I was right, would be waiting for me at the last cell. Then when I felt ready, I headed out into view confidently, waiting for the inevitable response.

It didn't come. I even stopped and looked down at the guards patrolling below, even saw a Gerudo stood on a wooden watchtower beside the gate leading west into the desert – and not a single one of them reacted. But why was it so easy to get past them? Why had I not run afoul of them, except for the cell guards?

Knowing I was going to come up against another of those guards in just a few moments, I decided to prepare myself and change my own tactics – I knew theirs by now, and if I was right and the third had been expecting me, then so too should the fourth, and they would by now have an idea of how I was going to act.

So instead I got out Biggoron's sword once again. It would be harder to block their attacks with just it, as there was no way I could hold a shield at the same time, but its great reach would make up for that – that, and this time I was going to be ready for her just as she'd think she was for me.

I came into the room, this time with the cell opposite me instead of off to one side, and spotted the Gerudo stood ready to attack as I came into view. Sure enough, the moment she spotted me she came running after me, only to have to quickly jump back as I swung for her. I couldn't attack as swiftly with this sword, but again the reach made up for that, allowing me to keep her at bay simply by keeping up my own attack.

Then to further throw her off I discarded that blade to fall back to the Master Sword and with it the Hylian shield too, darting quickly in to remove both blades from her hands in a couple of swift movements that left them quivering in wooden support beams above us.

I had no actual wish to harm this Gerudo, so as I had for Dark Silver I simply made sure I had my sword pointed at her and said, "Care to surrender?"

"Don't react too quickly," she warned me, reaching a hand behind her somewhere to hand over a key wrapped in a piece of parchment. I put away my weapons to take them, keeping a wary eye on her as I unrolled the parchment. I needn't have worried however – she even returned Biggoron's sword to me while I read.

"This is-" I started.

"That's right," she said simply. "You're officially a member."

"But why?"

"You were watched since you came into our valley. We knew you were among us from the moment you entered, but kept it unknown to you. The guards were told to react to you only if you got too close. We know you have strange powers, like the great Ganondorf, but you... you didn't use them on us. You used them only to rescue them," she nodded to the still imprisoned workman, who I quickly freed and sent ahead.

"That's your reasoning?" I asked.

"If you don't like it, give that back," she told me pointedly. Without thinking I held the bit of parchment tightly in my hand. "That's what I thought. You'll be travelling into the desert, won't you?"

"Yeah. I've got to find a place there. All I know is that it's called a 'goddess of the sand'."

"You want the Desert Colossus then. Speak with the guard at the top of the watchtower before you leave. She will warn you of the trials you must face to reach the desert beyond," she turned to leave, but stopped at the door and said, "If you see our second in command, Nabooru, tell her we are with her whatever she decides. She will understand what you mean."

With this, everything became clear. My sneaking around had been, for the most part, unneccessary. All I'd had to do was not get too close to them and I'd have been safe. Now of course I didn't even need to do that, as I was now a Gerudo myself, or at least an honorary one.

Word appeared to spread quickly throughout the fortress. While the guards continued in their patrol duties, they were no longer under orders to pretend not to notice me. I got treated with a respect I didn't expect, until one of them explained that Gerudo men were born only once every hundred years, and because of that they became the king of the Gerudos. They had little respect for other men, but somehow my actions here had proved me to be worthy in their eyes, and now I was – to them – an equal of their Great Ganondorf.

Not all the Gerudos spoke his name with such reverence. It was carefully veiled and hard to notice, but some of them did not like the things their king had done. I even heard it mentioned once that since they now had another man around, maybe they should revoke his kingship and give it to me instead – imagine, Silver the hedgehog, King of the Gerudos!

Those few that did throw that idea around also pointed out however that I was not actually a Gerudo and they weren't sure what effect that would have on future generations. Maybe if I'd been Hylian the idea of ah... entertaining the entire Gerudo tribe might have appealed, but as it was I shared their viewpoint in the matter, even though eventually I was going to have to kill their king, and they'd have to wait the better part of a century for the next one to come along.

I left them to their speculation about me – they appeared not to have noticed my brief use of my mind in the second fight, working mostly off rumours about me and what the workman had said, so they had no idea of the reality when it came to me – and made my way to the western watchtower.

Naturally, I didn't bother to climb up, not with alternatives available to me. Several Gerudos started back when they saw me simply float up, lounging in the air. As one of them put it, 'it was as if a phantom hand just picked him up at his command'. I may just be a bit strange, but hearing that brought a smile to my face. The descriptions of my abilities over time have varied widely, but that's one of my favourites.

The guard at the top – who looked almost identical to all the others, except she had bright pink shoes instead of the normal purple or orange the others had – took my unexpected appearance in her stride, watching me with only faint envy as I settled down nearby.

"I've been informed already," she said while she watched. "You're heading into the desert."

"Hard to keep a secret around here, huh?"

"We prefer to think of it as keeping well-informed," she smiled. "You've been told of the trials?"

"I've been told there are trials to reach the Desert Colossus, but that's all."

"There are only two, but they are significant obstacles... or at least we thought so. Seeing your arrival here I suspect the first will be trivial for you."

"These things happen," I said depreciatingly. "People make up these things for normal people, only I come along and find they're just minor inconveniences. I do apologise for making to look so easy, of course," I added with a sly grin.

"I'm sure it's a comfort to the people who's effort you invalidated," she laughed, then sobered up. "Listen up now. First you must face the River of Sand. You can't walk across it or it'll suck you down into whatever lays beyond."

"Hmm, lemme think. Yep, I think I can manage that."

"You may think otherwise in a moment. After you have crossed it there are flags we have laid out that will lead you to the second trial – the Haunted Wasteland. It is said that only one guided by the eye of truth shall be guided to the Desert Colossus by an inviting ghost."

I reached into the pouch on my belt and took out the Lens of Truth.

"Found this in Kakariko," I explained. "Apparently it was made by someone who'd trained his eye to see the truth, then imbued this with the same effect. Think it might be what I need?"

"You are either better informed than we are, or very good at being ready for any eventuality, Silver."

"Yeah, that happens to me a lot too. I seem to be surrounded by these kinds of convenient coincidences."

"Pray that they continue to help you, Silver. We will of course hope for your safe return from your errand in the desert. You are, after all, one of the only two Gerudo men we have."

She clapped her hands sharply, a series of mechanisms creaking into life to raise the great gate beside us, allowing me access to the desert beyond – or at least the gateway to it. There was a thick sandstorm obscuring much of the view, which would make it difficult to cross – but I had a feeling even with the 'trials' it wouldn't be all that much of a problem.


	51. A Block of Silver

I don't particularly enjoy sandstorms. Rain, snow, even thunderstorms I'm mostly alright with, aside from my dislike of getting too wet, but sandstorms are another matter entirely. I've learned or figured out over time how to persuade most forms of weather to leave me untouched, but when you're in a raging sandstorm all of that does no good at all. While I followed the flags that would lead to the 'river of sand' I tried not to think about the sand that was being dumped in my boots, down my back and anywhere else besides.

Fortunately it didn't impede me at all as long as I stayed low. I found very quickly if I tried to float up higher the currents in the sandstorm would blow me easily off course, but in staying low I was able to avoid that and make my way to the river of sand, which looked exactly like it sounded. A wide trough of sand, moving rapidly as if it really was a river. I can't confirm this – not without going back to Hyrule, anyway – but I suspect that the crevasse Tails saw in Gerudo Desert was this river, only without the flowing sand.

It was no obstacle to me, crossing it easily to follow the flags, leading me to a squat stone structure. I looked about with the Lens, but there was no 'inviting ghost' yet. As I circled it I found it was actually the top of an ancient tower, buried deep in the sand. This storm must have been raging for some time to manage that.

Once I got up on top of it I heard the distinctive malicious chuckle of a Poe appearing, invisible until I turned the Lens on it.

"I see you there," I called over the sandstorm. "Are you the inviting ghost?"

The Poe turned twice in the air, then announced, "So you see I am indeed, your guide along the way, but coming back I'll be here not there with no way to play, I'll show you the only way you can go, so follow me and don't be too slow!"

"I wonder if he was really that bored in life he feels he has to inflict his poetry on us in dead?" Navi wondered quietly.

"Don't say anything too loud about it," I replied, following the Poe. "I don't want to offend him and lose our guide."

The Poe led the way, twisting and turning through the desert without any apparent reason. If it hadn't been for the sandstorm this would probably have been unneccessary, and I suspected that as long as I kept a firm idea of which way was north I wouldn't have needed to follow it anyway, but magic had a tendency to disrupt these things so I trusted our guide.

We weaved back and forth, only keeping up by my floating after him until at last we came to the edge of the sandstorm and the Poe vanished with another chuckle. You could tell the sandstorm wasn't naturally caused, because it just cut off. One moment I was stood getting sand thrown at me, the next I was in dead calm air. I stopped right there to empty everything of the accumulated sand before I took another step.

As this was deep in Ganondorf's homeland I searched cautiously ahead, finding plenty of monster life, another Great Fairy who I'd see before I did anything else, and within the giant statue that was the Desert Colossus and apparently also the Spirit Temple, I picked up two more ancient entities. Unlike most other minds I touched on before these two gave off the impression of temperature, one excessively hot, the other cold. Beyond that though, there was little I could tell about them except that they were, or had once been, Gerudos.

Navi reported a plethora of monster life, including Leevers – irritating green cone-like things that dug themselves out of the sand to try to ram into me – yet more keese, and inside the Temple itself also Stalfos, Armos statues and creatures she suspected were Iron Knuckles.

"Iron Knuckles?" I asked, floating above the desert to avoid the Leevers. "What are they?"

"I've heard they're giants in armour that have a massive axe, but from what I remember that's also kind of exaggerated."

"Know how to defeat them?"

"Well, Bombchus – normal ones, not the water ones you've got – are effective, but normally its suggested to try to avoid their axe an cut the ties holding their armour on. It'll fall off and make it faster, but also make it vulnerable to attack. If we can find some Bombchu's I suggest them though, it means you don't have to get so close."

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied, throwing a bomb toward a crack in the rocky northern wall of the great desert. The cavern it opened led down into the Great Fairy's fountain, who turned out to be the Great Fairy of Magic once again, with another new spell.

"This is Nayru's Love," she informed me. "Originally intended by the Goddess to protect the Hero from harm for a short time, but perhaps you will find creative uses for this spell too."

She had no idea – particularly when I went to Termina. The three magic spells were regularly employed over there.

She concluded by confirming the Desert Colossus was indeed the Spirit Temple and to beware of the Twinrova, the Gerudo witches by the names of Kotake and Koume, who resided within the Temple, then as usual disappeared with shrieked laughter. Really, don't ask me why. All Great Fairies do it.

With that, I headed for the Spirit Temple, noting the conspicuous absence of Sheik – ordinarily she showed up just before I started a Temple, but apparently not here. The local warp stone wasn't far from the Temple, but without a song for it it wasn't useful for me. I was going to have to do without, it seemed.

The first room of the Temple was impressive, but nearly empty. It was clearly well-maintained, as the red carpet that led down the stairs from the upper level were neither worn or sandy, and the sandstone floors were kept swept of sand. Two stone snake heads were on either side of the staircase, in the 'mouth' a large tablet with carved Hylian words in them. Since I still lacked a decent understanding of the language I ignored them and moved on upstairs.

There was a hole in the ceiling reaching up, but blocked off, a small tunnel to the left that, had I come here seven years prior, I would have been able to squeeze through, to the right a massive grey block with a moon symbol on it, and several ornate pots lining the back wall – which appeared to be possessed, raising up and flying at me only to be shattered with an absent thought from me or Navi. We both struck one of them at the same time, causing it not just to shatter but to crumble instead.

"Looks like we'll have to move the block," Navi said, flying over to it. "Odd," she said then. "I can't seem to get my mind past it."

Now I approached, and saw a faintly reflective sheen on it. It wasn't just a stone block – it was a block of silver. One of only two materials that resists my touch, and the one I was named after for that exact reason – or so I was told, anyway.

"You won't be able to," I told Navi, explaining this to her.

"Can you push it by hand then?" she suggested. I tried, but the heavy metal block refused to budge in the slightest. "Maybe one of the inscriptions..." she said hopefully.

I headed back down and, after wrestling with a few of the more unfamiliar words on the nearest one, read out, "'If you want to travel to the future, you should return with the power of silver from the past.'"

"Silver from the past? Does it mean the metal or does it mean you?"

"It doesn't mean me. I remember the twins telling me once that a name is written differently. But the power of silver from the past... what could that be?"

"Maybe the other one will give an idea?"

The other inscription was slightly easier to read, giving us, "'If you want to proceed to the past, you should return here with the pure heart of a child.' Easier said than done without a warp song to bring us here," I snapped irritably at the inscription. "Now what am I meant to do?"

Navi remained calm in the face of this puzzle. "At least go back in time. We might find something there that'll let us reach here."

"It's all I _can_ do," I replied, still bothered.

Rather than warp directly to the Temple of Time, I headed outside first, and a good thing I did too. No sooner had I taken a few steps out of the Desert Colossus than the sense of Sheik's presence had appeared, closely followed by seeing her walk past me – how the devil had she gotten behind me?

"So you too have been confounded by the puzzle of the Temple," she said, staring into the desert.

"Not confounded. Just interrupted. I have to find a way back here in the past."

"Then you need the final song I have yet to teach you."

"Well why didn't you show up before I went in?" I asked testily.

"I was investigating something," Sheik replied, unruffled. "When you use the Temple of Time to return here now, not in the past, there is something I want you to seek out for me, Silver. Hidden somewhere within the Spirit Temple there lays an artefact I have been seeking since you embarked on your journey to awaken the sages, but even now I cannot reach it. It is called the Mirror of Twilight, and it is that artefact we and the sages will need to seal away Ganondorf for all time. You must locate it for me, and when you do inscribe the symbol of the Triforce nearby and play the song of the Royal Family, allowing them and all their descendants to travel there at will."

Yep. You guessed it. Zelda and I are kinda responsible for Tails' adventure. Of course, in following her request, I also became responsible for allowing the Princess Zelda he knew to transport them all there to see off Midna, so it's not all bad.

Once she'd confirmed I really would do as she asked, she vanished not with yet another Deku Nut as seemed to be the fashion here, but with a portable sandstorm that appeared out of nowhere, engulfed her, then as the sense of her presence vanished so too did it.

"Temple of Time?" Navi reminded me.

"On the way already," I answered, playing the Prelude of Light. Those warp songs were useful, but inconveniently they only work if you're already in Hyrule. I found that out the hard way not too long ago when I decided I wanted to check up on them.

* * *

"Wait, you mean you've actually been back there?" Tails demanded, suddenly very excited.

"Of course I have. I like to drop in from time to time and see how things are going. I'll have to break off in a few years because that'll be the time when I'm running after the sages, and I know too well it's a bad idea to meet a past or future version of yourself, but I like to keep up with things."

"Then could you... I mean... I did promise Colin I'd find a way back to visit..." he left it hanging hopefully.

"Give me a little time to figure out where and when, and I'll be able to take you for a visit," Silver replied. "You too, if you ever want to go back to your Hyrule," he added to Knuckles.

"Thanks, but the people of Skyloft aren't actually expecting me to come back," he answered. "They know I've got other things I'm meant to be doing, like protecting the Master Emerald." He stopped, then with a sly grin continued, "Speaking of which... bet you never know it was involved in the forging of the Master Sword."

"We are... talking about the same sword, aren't we?" Tails said almost hesitantly. "Ancient blade, sword of Evil's Bane and all that?"

"Yeah, that's the one. I was involved in forging it. You can wait to find out about that, I'm sure – after all, Silver's got one last Temple and the final showdown to tell us about."

"And Termina too," Silver added with a declamatory finger. "Never forget about Termina. That was just as important."


	52. Child's Play

Waiting for me at the Temple of Time was none other than Scourge, who it appeared had been thinking of trying to steal the three Spiritual Stones had it not been for my surprise appearance out of nowhere.

"Silver!" he said in surprise, almost falling over himself. "I _wish_ you wouldn't do that!"

"Well someone's got to keep you out of trouble," I shrugged.

"What, you think I was going to take these?"

"You're a thief, those are valuable items. Two and two, Scourge."

"I wasn't really thinking about it. Not seriously, anyway. Did you know the inscription has changed though?"

"Inscription?" I asked, joining him. "I know there was on the altar, but I couldn't read it. What did it say before?"

"I don't remember. Something about these stone and some song, I think."

I glanced over the pictograms, still in the same ornate hand I recalled they'd been before, and still in such a form that they were beyond me. "I don't suppose you read Hylian better than I do?"

Scourge gave me a sidelong glance, then burst out laughing. "The Great Hero of Time, possibly soon to be the saviour of Hyrule, can't even read a few simple words! Oh, Ganondorf's gonna love to hear about this."

"Yes, thank you, now can you read it or not," I asked sourly.

"Of course I can. I knew how to read Hylian long before I met you." That was useful to know. I could commandeer him in the past and have him read the old inscription too. "It reads like this: 'The Ocarina of Time opened the door. The Hero of Time with the Master Sword descended here.'"

"I didn't descend exactly. I just sort of took out the sword and then woke up seven years later. I wonder who changed it?" When I saw there was no trace of the original inscription, I added, "And how, for that matter?"

Scourge hid his interest at this, giving me the impression that only Sheik, Navi and I – and now him too – knew about how I'd skipped seven years. He may not have known it was a two-way thing, and I intended to keep it that way.

"Who knows?" he said aloud. "Now why don't you tell me what you've been up to?"

"Oh, nothing much. Cleared out the Water Temple, awakened the Zora Princess Ruto as the Water Sage, headed to Kakariko, faced off against some dark shadow thing calling itself Bongo-Bongo at the Shadow Temple to awaken the Shadow Sage, then headed off to Gerudo Valley."

"Where you got caught like everyone else?"

"I wouldn't know, I didn't go that far in," I lied. "The bridge was out, and my horse wouldn't jump the gap, so I'm taking a quick break while I think of another way across."

"You didn't think to try to fly across?"

"Well I guess I could have," I answered, berating myself for not thinking of that before I gave him the excuse. "I was feeling lazy though. Now tell me – what have you been up to?"

"What do you think? I've been getting back into my old habits. Or trying to – the people of Kakariko aren't particularly fond of me, apparently. I'm told one of the guards wants to introduce me to his pike, so I thought I'd better steer clear for a bit. If it wasn't for the bridge I'd try to get into the Gerudo thieves."

"Isn't that a shame? I don't have any problems, you know. Maybe you ought to try taking a leaf out of my book."

Scourge snorted, "As if I would. Though speaking of leaves... been a while since I dropped in on the forest. Think I'll go see how they're doing." And without another word, he was gone.

"At last. I thought he'd never leave."

"You're going to leave once you've saved Hyrule, aren't you?" Navi asked.

"Of course not. Not until its time for me to visit Termina, and even then I'll always come back to visit it. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. And I wanted to know what you planned to do about him."

"Nothing. I've no idea how he got here, and if he wants me to take him anywhere he'll have to persuade me its a good idea. Unless he starts causing trouble too, I'm just going to leave him alone. Except in a moment when we go back in time, because I'm going to get him to read what this used to say for me."

* * *

While it might seem strange to hear it, it felt good to be young again. Alright, so the Master Sword, even if I could have kept it without going forward in time, was too big for me and Biggoron's sword was completely out of the question. Much of the things I'd picked up while older were similarly too big for me to use, the bow being a borderline case – I could use it, but only very awkwardly.

But despite those things and the loss of the mental boost I got in the future, it was gained by taking a shortcut – cutting out the seven years between and just arriving there, giving no time to gradually come into those things.

I used the Nocturn of Shadow to quickly make my way to Kakariko, appearing on the warp pad just outside the Shadow Temple only to hop down again. It was fortunate that I'd started in the Temple of Time, since such magic here still affected the Hylian image I always had here.

A search ahead revealed that Scourge was still in the village, if the nearby minds were any indication either picking pockets or getting arrested. It didn't take me long to track him down, where we found it happened to be the latter, held in the air between two guards protesting all the while. His expression when he saw my amused look was absolutely priceless.

"I guess that means he'll be too tied up to lend us a hand then," Navi murmured.

"Oh well. It was more of a curiosity anyway. I'm sure it can wait, and besides I can always ask someone in the castle town to read it for me."

"Won't that..."

"Make them wonder? I'm just a kid in their eyes Navi, and everyone knows we can't read."

"I guess you've got a point there. Anything else we've got to do here?"

"Not really, except find somewhere safe to disappear. I don't think the world is quite ready for people popping into nothingness just yet."

The windmill turned out to be perfect for that, as for a change it was deserted. Maybe some observant people would notice that I'd gone in and not come out, but that was just a minor inconvenience.

Sheik's final song, the Requiem of Spirit, took me to the warp pad at the Desert Colossus, which seemed to live up to its name even more than it had before with my younger perspective. Several Leevers, sensing my presence, shot up out of the surrounding sand and tried to head for me, but they wouldn't leave the sand. Floating up above and over them meant that even on the sand they couldn't reach me. Leevers are inconvenient if you can't fly, but otherwise they're nothing to be concerned about.

Inside the Colossus was almost perfectly identical to its future self, tidy and well-kept, even the two inscriptions were in the same condition. This symmetry was broken when I came to the top of the staircase to see a tall Gerudo crouched before the tunnel I'd seen before.

"I think you're a little big to crawl through there," I told her, startling her. "Did you lose something down there?"

"How did you get in here?" she demanded.

"Through the door," I shrugged, playing dumb. "It was only open."

She almost clarified her question, but apparently thought better and instead asked, "Well, what do you want here?"

"I'm just curious. Seemed like a waste to come all this way and not find out what was in here. Never know what you'll find, exploring places like this."

"And just who are you?"

"I'm Silver. Like the block over there, but not really."

"Not one of Ganondorf's minions then," she decided. "I am Nabooru, chief of the Gerudos and second only to Ganondorf himself. Don't get me wrong though – the things he does... if he weren't the only Gerudo man around I'd kill him myself."

"I heard that about you. You have to wait for a century before another one comes along."

"You're well informed. I like you, kid. Maybe when you grow up you should pay us a visit. Now, how about exploring and helping me against Ganondorf?"

There's those coincidences again.

"Sure thing," I agreed amicably. "What do you need found?"

"Somewhere past there is a treasure called the Silver Gauntlets. Its said that those who equip them can easily move heavy objects – like the block you pointed out."

"That's useful. I could use something like that."

"Don't be silly, they wouldn't fit a kid like you. You bring them back to me, and I'll be able to use them to go deeper into the temple. Ganondorf and his minions are using it as a hideout, so with the power of silver-"

"You'll be able to sneak in and mess up their plans?" Navi finished. Nabooru looked curiously from the fairy to me.

"You're a fairy boy, huh? You're a long way from home. I didn't think you could leave your forest."

"Don't know anything about that, I just wanted to see what was out in the world," I replied, keeping up my 'dumb child' act. It was kind of fun actually. I never really had the chance to be a child with everything that had been going on, so I guess in a way I was reclaiming that here.

"Well fairy boy... you get me the Silver Gauntlets, and when you grow up I'll do something _very_ nice for you. Deal?"

Given how I was treated in the future, is it really that hard to guess what her 'very nice' was?

"And I get to explore the place too," I added. "Sounds good to me. Don't know who this Ganondorf is, but he doesn't sound nice, so bothering him sounds good too. I'll do it."

Nabooru moved aside to let me reach the tunnel, watching with some slight envy as I crawled easily through. It was only a short tunnel, so it wasn't long before I emerged on the other side into a corridor, made of bright yellow sandstone like the rest of the place – it was a nice change from the bleak stone and dirt that made up most of the other Temples.

At the end a shallow set of steps led up to a larger flat area with a round, red rug in the middle, on top of that an Armos statue. Four Keese flitted about, two of them on fire, and a bit of metal bent into spikes was tracing the outside of the rug, following the thin line it was stuck in.

The slingshot quickly shot down the keese, while the Armos statue was easily dealt with. Navi woke it up and held it in place, and I hovered bombs near it until it was defeated. This unbarred the doors leading northwest and northeast, though I could just as easily crawl through another tunnel that lead straight north between them.

I checked the tunnel only to find it was temporarily a dead end, requiring a key to open – which I didn't have. Instead I went back and headed northwest into a larger room, this one separated into two halves by a chasm. On the far side a raised grating looked as if it could be triggered to create a bridge, but my attention was quickly distracted by a Stalfos – which here was taller than me, and much more of a threat.

Fortunately though it surprised me I was able to react in time to handle the downward strike it made for me, quickly turning on the spot so it would catch the Hylian shield strapped to my back. It might have been too big to use normally right now, but it was useful the way it was.

As soon as I heard the clang of its blade on the shield I turned back and lashed out, stealing Mido's idea once again to shatter the skeleton, sending many of the bones down into the chasm below.

Now it was out the way I returned my attention to the room. There was a crystal switch just behind the grating I figured I could trigger with the boomerang, and large Green Bubble that kept jumping up out of the intervening gap. Rather than deal with it, I guided the boomerang around to hit the switch, causing the grating to drop – right on top of it. There was a crack of bone on metal, and the Bubble dropped out of sight into the pit.

"That was nasty," Navi chuckled.

"Fun though. As long as I have to look like a child again, I might as well have some fun with it."

"Is that what was behind your strange attitude back there?"

"Of course. You didn't think I'd suddenly turned immature, did you?"

"Could have fooled me. Just be careful, won't you?"

"Naturally," I replied with a smirk, heading through the door on the other side of the room.


	53. Iron and Silver

I met one of the only two new enemies in the next room – an Anubis statue. It floated in the air opposite me, mirroring my movements so we were always opposite. I closed on it, and so did it. Navi warned me against using my sword as that would cause it to spit fire at me, which interestingly was also its weakness.

The room itself was circular, but most of the floor had long since fallen away. What was left gave a path running across to the opposite side, on which were more moving spike traps and the Anubis. There was a piece of floor following the edge of the room counter-clockwise from the far side, and a mirrored piece on my side – only my side had a crystal switch on as well, and a barred door at the end.

I triggered the switch with a stab from the Kokiri sword, the only one I could reliably wield for now, which caused a ring of fire to shoot up on the other spit of floor opposite. The Anubis, too dumb to figure the meaning of this, continued to mirror my moves until it stupidly floated right into the fire, which destroyed it and unbarred the door.

"If this Temple is all like that, this will be too easy," I remarked.

"Don't get overconfident, will you?"

"C'mon, me? When have I ever been that?" I grinned back, letting myself through the door. It let me into a room similar to the one with the Green Bubble, though this time I was on the north side of it and there was no Bubble. Short-lived Keese and Wallmasters which met the same fate as their friends in the Forest Temple, but no Bubble. I dealt with these nuisances then I set about collecting the Silver rupees. It turned out that they too had some silver in, but since I'd never actually turned my mind on them before I'd never noticed.

Even so, it wasn't enough to stop me using the boomerang to haul them in with a few guiding nudges, collecting all five of them to release the clamps that held the grating here up, allowing it to clatter down to form a second bridge. If my rough mental map of the area was accurate, this meant I now had a ring-route that would give me easy access from either northwest or northeast doors in the room with the tunnel. Not the one Nabooru was beside, the one after that.

This bridge also let me reach several unlit torches on the other side and one lit one. Rather than use Din's Fire yet again, I took out one of the Deku Sticks I'd collected way back, lit it from the still burning torch and re-lit the others, extinguishing it before I put it away again. Amazing how long you can make a Deku Stick last if you take care.

The torches caused a small chest to appear which, rather predictably given my limited options, held a small key. For a moment I was tempted to Farore's Wind back to the locked door, but decided it might just be a good idea if Nabooru continued to recognise me – for now. Even then, it wasn't that far to get back to the door, unlocking it to let me into... well, a room that was no bigger than a broom closet.

It was the tell-tale scratching sounds of Skulltulas on one wall that made me look up, not just to shoot them down but to see that one wall had been carved into to provide a surface to climb up. Naturally, after I shot them down, I ignored it and went up without.

Unlike previous parts of the Colossus, this area was not so well maintained. Sand had been blown in through various cracks to cover part of the floor, and the carpet here looked moth-eaten and patchy. At the center of the room it appeared to have been cut away entirely around a large sun, not carved into or painted on the floor, but actually coming out of it. It appeared to serve no immediate purpose, so I continued to look about the room. Thin beams of sunlight crept in through small cracks in a ceiling.

The room was only partly made from sandstone, that much was immediately clear. The upper part seemed to be a combination of earth and rock, perhaps the outside of the Colossus itself. The ledges formed by the ruined sandstone below held several things, among them a crystal switch and two eagerly watching Lizalfos.

All I had to do was approach each on in turn to make them come down to play, and after that they didn't really last long. I didn't have the lava I'd had back in Dodongo's Cavern, but a few more decent slashes made up for that. The second of them seemed extremely confused when my sword conveniently left my hand and attacked of its own accord.

The switch was triggered to cause a chest to appear that had Bombchus in – not the ones I already had, but the ones Navi had described to me. They looked like little more than motorised rats that would explode, with the same fuse length as an ordinary bomb.

I tested one out there and then, figuring out where I'd need to place one to get it to explode near the cracks of sunlight. It was the only place I could see that might actually react to an explosion. Like the water ones it buzzed into life when I set it own, charging forward in its own erratic line. The wall was no obstacle to it, easily making its way up and over the ledge to the dirt wall to explode where I'd meant it to.

The dirt rocks crashed down letting broad daylight stream in. That in turn lit up the sun in the floor, which turned, eyes opening and lighting up to unbar the lone door up here. Now I knew what the point of these sun things were.

That door led me to one of the biggest Temple rooms I remember seeing, the caverns of the Fire Temple the possible exception. This was man-made though, a giant chamber with a massive statue similar to the one that made up the Desert Colossus itself, but accentuated in full colour with no detail spared or lost to the sand. The statue's hands were outstretched palms turned upward, not over knees but what appeared to be the coils of a snake.

The statue dominated the room quite naturally, but there were other details too. Two great pillars stood in the corners on either side of the statue to complete the north wall of the room, while here on the south side I'd emerged from the door at the foot of a staircase that turned after a ways and doubled back to reach some higher door. A similar staircase was on the eastern side of the room, identical to the one I was stood at. It even had a matching Armos statue, though from here it was impossible to say whether the far one was alive or not.

Interestingly, someone or something had taken a leaf from the Fire Temple, creating a barrier that prevented my passage. It was different though, as it would allow me to pass through normally, but the moment it was something to do with my mind the air thickened to stop me.

Because of this there was only so much I could do here. I'd be able to climb back up from the lower floor the statue rested on, but there was no way I'd be making it up to the hands, the pillars or the other staircase.

I did discover a switch on the lower floor just near where I'd come in, a blue one that refused to stay switched. The Armos statue here was real and not of the monster variety, quickly turned into a weight that caused the door at the top of the staircase to unbar. With the air forming unseen barriers to prevent me from reaching other parts of the temple, this door was once again, my only option.

A short and shallow staircase awaited on the other side of that door, leading me further up the Colossus to another bright sandstone room. This one was fully sandstone too, no ruined areas like the last one. There were several raised ledges in here and a number of small grey stone blocks – actual stone, not silver as well. One of them had a sun face on it, but was not in the sunlight that already streamed in through an opening with the dusty desert air.

There were also unlit torches, several more moving spike traps patrolling back and forth, and a handful of swiftly dispatched Beamos. More Silver Rupees were also here to collect as well, giving me three possible options to follow.

The torches, I quickly found, could not be lit even by Din's Fire. There was a golden torch in one corner that was unlit and stubbornly refused to be lit by any means I had, but it also had Hylian pictograms over it that, if I read them correctly, suggested something else would light it, and only its flame would light the other torches. That meant I either had to put the Sun face in the sunlight, or collect the Silver Rupees.

I elected to do both at the same time. I sent the boomerang flying around to collect them, guiding it with my mind while I physically heaved the blocks around to free the Sun face one, then dragged that over to the sunlight. I had to pause along the way to retrieve the boomerang as it had finished its task.

The Silver Rupees lit the golden torch, closely followed by the Sun block removing the bars on the other door here. Rather than leave it at that and move on, a few moments with the Deku Stick conveniently re-lit the other torches with their own golden flame, causing a chest to appear on one of the ledges containing a small key. Just as well I hadn't moved on!

Again I was faced with carpeted stairs, this one well-maintained again. Who came into these places to clean up and keep putting pots in? I'd noticed before that sometimes when I went back to a room where I'd accidentally broken a pot or two, they'd be replaced with new, whole ones by the time I'd returned. Did someone hire people to maintain the Temples? What a job that would be!

There were no enemies on the stairs though, leading me further up to another locked door. Well, even if I had come on ahead I wouldn't have had far to backtrack. The room it let me into was much like a throne room, though far smaller and emptier. The red carpet led away from the door, turning when it was between the twin lines of three pillars to head up to a throne on which was sat a suit of armour – my first Iron Knuckle.

I _love_ these things! Alright, so they're enemies – but they never fail to make me laugh. Per Navi's warning though I always took care – particularly when I saw the giant axe it held. One hit from that and I'd need more than a bit of magic to recover.

Unlike other monsters which would attack me on sight, the Iron Knuckle completely ignored me until it considered me a threat, which because of their somewhat mindless nature meant 'until I get attacked by this thing wearing green' or something along those lines.

So to keep myself safe as well, I once again sent the sword on ahead, bashing the helmet with the hilt with a ringing almost like a bell. It stood up at once, swinging its axe as it came right for me. I immediately made the first use of the Nayru's Love spell, creating not one single protective barrier but several, more preventative aimed ones instead. Each of them were placed in such a way that as long as I was positioned behind one, it would be incapable of harming me – which made for great fun.

The Iron Knuckle clanked for me, trotting along as if the great weight of the armour it bore was nothing, then when it thought I was close enough to hit, it stopped and swung its axe downwards. The barrier protected me, and the axe embedded itself in the floor.

I quickly retrieved my sword, searching the armour for the straps that held it on. The Iron Knuckle meanwhile appeared to have realised it hadn't hit anything, leaning forward over the axe with a dull, "Ugh?" I had to suppress the urge to laugh as I spotted one of the straps. I cut it quickly with a short slash that 'accidentally' caught the Iron Knuckle's unprotected body through the opened crack, then quickly danced clear as it heaved the axe out of the ground with a cry of pain, whirling to face me.

Again it came for me, and I took cover behind another barrier. It was too stupid to notice them, or if it did notice it didn't comprehend the reasoning for them. The axe swung a second time as I got behind it again to search for the next strap, and again the Iron Knuckle leaned over to stare in astonishment with its dense sound of surprise.

The strap I cut this time caused both back and breastplates to fall off it, improving its speed slightly but leaving it even more vulnerable. Given how easy it was to confuse and evade it at the same time though, it didn't really matter too much.

The next straps I cut very nearly cost me. While it was busy staring at its buried axe again, I cut certain lower ones that caused the armour on its legs to clatter down – the armour version of making someone's pants fall down. It started down in astonishment with a second grunt of surprise, then hauled the axe free and swung it around, and had it taken the time to orient its axe correctly it would have turned out much worse. As it was the blade of it hadn't headed for me, only the flat side of it. Even so I was launched by it, thrown hard through one of the pillars which collapsed on impact, then into the wall behind.

The Iron Knuckle gave a cruel chuckle, then headed for me with a speed it hadn't had before. The only armour encumbering it now was the helmet, and I had the perfect trick for that. I quickly shook the rubble off myself to meet it, jumping back clear as the axe descended for me yet again. This time while it grunted surprise again, I leapt up to perform the Helm Splitter, not only sending its helmet flying off but catching its neck just right to finish it off.

"Well that was fun," I breathed, catching my breath.

"I'm sure I said something about Bombchus," Navi said. "Seems to me I suggested they might be a safer way."

"Yeah, but if I'd done that I wouldn't have seen how stupid it was," I said, then mimicked its surprised 'Ugh?' after seeing the axe had missed. Even Navi laughed at that. It's what makes fighting Iron Knuckles so much fun.

It had been defeated though, and that meant it was time to move on. There was only one door, hidden behind the throne it had sat on, and that led me back outside on to one of the great hands of the Colossus outside, where there was a large chest... on which perched that damned owl.

"Ho! What are you doing here, Silver?" he asked. As if he didn't already know – he'd clearly been expecting me, facing the door I'd just emerged from.

"I'm just running an errand," I said. "Someone needed a hand and I didn't have anything better to do, so I helped out."

"It wouldn't have something to do with the Silver Gauntlets in this chest, would it?"

"What gives you that impression? Of course I am looking for them, but that's beside the point."

The owl somehow managed a chuckle, then turned serious again. "Within this Temple there are two Gerudo witches, together known as Twinrova but apart known as Kotake and Koume. One commands powerful fire, and the other ice. Your own magic will not be enough to defeat these witches when you face them, instead you must find a way to turn their own magic against each other."

"I'm sure I'll find something. I've got plenty of time, if I need it."

"Then best of luck to you, Silver!" he said, thrusting his wings to take off.

Within the chest was of course, the Silver Gauntlets. I could feel the silver in them without even having to open the chest, and I was thankful I still had my gloves on underneath the image. The touch of silver is one thing I can't stand – it's a price I pay for having a powerful mind.

Just as Nabooru had said, they were too big for me right now. I could have kept them for heading forward in time, but I _had_ promised to give them to her. Maybe I could find a way to borrow them for a while.

As I stowed them away though I heard Nabooru's voice cry out, "Silver, run! Get out of here now!"

I headed to the edge of the hand and looked down toward the source of the voice, spotting her along with two Gerudo hags on broomsticks, each holding a wand aloft as they circled her, cackling all the while.

Nabooru was being sucked into the sand by a strange purple portal, apparently formed by the magic of the two hags – presumably, Kotake and Koume.

"That's the same kind of portal I saw Ruto get sucked into," Navi exclaimed. "They must be... she must be the last sage! Silver, we have to-"

"No," I interrupted. "We know she'll be safe, Navi. All the other Sages awakened just fine when we defeated the Temple's guardian boss. Those two witches are the bosses of this Temple, so all we have to do is defeat them."

"But..."

"I know. I don't like letting this happen. But what can we do? I could use my mind to reflect their magic back, but here in the present..."

"Right. You could better do it in the future. And that means we get to use the gauntlets for ourselves – they must be the power of silver that inscription talked about."

"Back to the Temple of Time then, and we'll be back in seven years. Just hold on until then, Nabooru."


	54. Shadow Delivery

When I arrived once again back in the future of Hyrule by taking out the legendary blade, I was met by a curious sight – myself. Ordinarily I will go to any lengths to avoid meeting myself at any point along any timeline because there are some serious implications involved. If I encounter a future version of myself, as this clearly was since I didn't remember this, I could and would go out of my way to ensure I experienced both sides of it perfectly. Take it from me, you _don't_ want to cause a paradox when its your own life on the line.

This future me, complete with a future Navi, was definitely real. I could sense the near-perfect similarity to both of them. Neither one of them said a word, but that isn't remarkable. If nothing is said, nothing can be revealed, and its easier to avoid a paradox. He quickly raised a finger to his lips, aimed more at my Navi than me because I already knew this, she didn't.

I gave him a questioning look, to which he responded by taking out a small cloth-wrapped package that had a note tucked under the string holding it together, handing it over to me. Only when he was certain I'd taken it did he give me a knowing wink, glance at his Navi who took cover in the cap, then vanish into a green flash.

Navi at last broke the silence. "Was that really us?"

"You should have been able to tell that with your own mind, Navi," I replied. "They were future versions of us, but they were definitely us."

"Why didn't they say anything?"

"Because whenever you meet yourself, you have to replicate what your future self did exactly to avoid a paradox. The less you do the better. No words means we haven't revealed anything that's going to happen, which means we can't cause a paradox there."

"But that package..."

"Whatever is inside, we must be given a good reason to take the risks of meeting our past selves to deliver it," I replied, carefully setting it down to read the note. It was written in the simplified and more easily understandable version of the Hylian language, but not in my own hand – I recognised it as the same handwriting as Zelda had used on the letter she'd given me before.

"What does it say?" Navi asked, flying down to illuminate it better with her own light. "Does it say why you did this?"

"No, but listen to this. 'Contained within you will find three pieces of a powerful artefact. You must take one piece to each of the first three Temples you went to and entrust it to the spirit of light you see there. You must not speak a word to them, but heed their words if they speak to you. I will explain all that remains when I give these to you. Signed, her Royal Highness, Princess Zelda IV'. I'd say I had good reason, but I won't find out until then. I must have stressed the risks involved to make her write such a note."

"So what do we do?"

"We deliver the artefact pieces, of course. We'll use the warp songs to go to each of the locations."

The strings made for an easy way to carry the package, hanging it from my elbow so I could still play the ocarina at the same time. First of course was the Minuet of Forest, taking us swiftly to the Sacred Forest Meadow outside the Forest Temple.

"Don't forget to change your tunic before you go to Death Mountain," Navi warned. "It might have calmed down, but it'll still be too hot there."

"In a moment. Remember what Zelda's note said – not a word to this light spirit. I don't know why, but she wouldn't tell me something like that without good reason."

Navi flew up to the ruined entrance, while I of course just floated up as usual. Immediately apparent as soon as I rose to the same level as the opening was that there was a strong source of golden light emanating from the initial room of the Forest Temple, with a presence that was not so much concealing itself as it was concealing any details I might have otherwise been able to learn about it.

The two Wolfos that usually haunted this area were gone, apparently banished by this light spirit which I now saw as a great golden monkey with an oddly spiked tail, watching me with unblinking golden eyes.

Wordlessly I untied the strings from the package and unfolded the cloth to take out one of the pieces of the artefact, a dark, strangely shaped item with unusual designs over it. I couldn't tell what it was made of, but I could sense a faint, dark presence about it.

The monkey spirit extended a paw to me, the Triforce of Courage pulsing in my hand in response to the close proximity and flaring brighter when I took the first piece in hand. The spirit glanced to it as it took the artefact, causing my piece of the Triforce to pulse a few more times. I had the distinct impression it was communing with the spirit.

It turned to head into deeper into the Temple, but paused at the door and glanced back. My piece of Triforce pulse once again, and at last the spirit spoke, only two words in a resonating choral voice. "Best luck," it said, then headed in, somehow going right through the wall complete with the artefact piece.

"Gods," Navi breathed in awe when it had left. "Whatever that was, it was powerful."

"Gods, indeed," I agreed, folding the cloth over the remaining pieces to tie it up again. "If not them, then something to do with them."

A quick change of tunic later to withstand the heat of Death Mountain and then the Bolero of Fire took us to the local warp pad. Two Gorons were there, looking toward the Temple entrance.

"Silver, you've got to do something," one of them pleaded with me as soon as I'd arrived. "There's some kind of creature of pure light in the Temple that's stopping us from entering. We have to go in there now its empty of monsters so we can find new ore veins, but it won't let us!"

"Leave it to me," I assured the Goron. "I know exactly what to do."

The second light spirit awaited in the entrance room of this Temple, at the foot of the stairs that lead into the two main caverns, one toward Volvagia's former haunt, the other into the giant cavern where I'd managed to lose Scourge. This one was in the form of a giant bird, stood patiently awaiting me where it too looked on with the same, unblinking golden eyes.

"So you have come," it said in a voice similar to the first's. "Have you seen Faron at the Forest Temple?" I just nodded. Zelda had told me not to say a word, remember. "Good. We weren't sure if you would go in the correct order. Timing is important here. Hand over the next piece of the Fused Shadow, Silver, and proceed without delay to the Water Temple. Lanayru will meet you at the island in the lake, rather than in the Temple itself."

That was useful to know. I once again untied the package to take out the second piece, handing it over to the outstretched talon the spirit extended for it. Again, the Triforce pulsed when I reached close, and the spirit dipped its head briefly in acknowledgement of it before it too left for deeper in the Temple.

I left too, but outside to the waiting Gorons. "It just needed something, that's all," I told them. "Give it a couple of hours to do what it needs to, then you'll be able to go in safely." Telling them to wait hadn't been mentioned anywhere, but I wanted to ensure the light spirit wasn't disturbed in whatever it was doing.  
Then I played the Serenade of Water, taking me directly to Lake Hylia – where just as the spirit had said, the last light spirit, Lanayru awaited me, appearing as a great serpent rising up out of the lake.

"Right on time," Lanayru murmured. "As is to be expected from the Hero of Time. You have seen Faron and Eldin?" Again, I just nodded, already reaching for the last remaining piece of the Fused Shadow. "Before I take this piece from you, you must know something, Silver. You both must forget all that has taken place between returning to this time and the moment after you have seen me depart. These are the words you have spoken yourself, and to do so you must ask the Triforce to assist you lest your mind betray you. You must arrange to remember it only after you have handed the Fused Shadow to your prior self. May the Goddesses be with you, Great Hero," Lanayru concluded, taking the last piece from me in its mouth as it had no other means of retrieving it, thrashing its long coils to rapidly descend for the Water Temple below.

I looked to the expectantly glowing triangle of my piece of the Triforce, then over to Navi. "You'll have to be affected by this too," I told her. "I think for best results, you'll want to stay in contact with me. I remember hearing once that when affecting someone's mind, physical contact eases the process."

"Maybe we should go to the Temple of Time first?" she suggested. "That way after we've forgotten we won't wonder how we ended up here."

"Good idea. You can wait, can't you?" I said to the Triforce, which simply pulsed acknowledgement. Don't ask me how I know that, I just do. "I'll leave it in your hands then," I told it. "Figuratively speaking."

* * *

"So that's how the pieces of the Fused Shadow got there," Tails said. "But the places I went through were different to yours."

"I'm guessing there's been enough time between my visit and yours to allow them, and the light spirits themselves probably had something to do with it," Silver shrugged.

"But why did they get you to deliver them to the light spirits? Why did you have to do it then, instead of... whenever you got them in the first place – when you got the note I mean, not when you gave them to yourself." Tails frowned. "You know this is really confusing."

"Like I said earlier, time travel does that to you," Silver nodded knowingly. "Why do you think I try to avoid getting too close to encountering myself?"

"You must have had good reason then," Knuckles decided thoughtfully. "There's one thing I don't get though. Lanayru told you it was your own suggestion to make you forget, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Before you continue... just wait and see. I'll explain that when we get to that point. Can't expect me to give you spoilers to my own story now, can you?"

* * *

The next thing I knew I was back at the Temple of Time, stood over the Pedestal with the Master Sword in hand just as if I'd emerged from the past – which to my mind at that point, I had. Through the combination of my own abilities and the Triforce of Courage, which had settled down and no longer glowed through my gauntlets, I had no memory of what had just happened.

Unbeknownst to me, it had also conveniently fixed something I'd overlooked – I had still been wearing the Goron Tunic before, so it had arranged to replace it back with the usual Kokiri green I'd been wearing when I'd really emerged, so there wouldn't be anything to raise my suspicions.

Since I believed I'd only just arrived, the first thing I did was, rather reluctantly, to switch the serviceable plain gauntlets with the Silver Gauntlets, identical except for an overlapping series of silver plates that covered the back of my hand and arm. There was a red gem set into the back, but it appeared to be ornamental.

Aside from keenly feeling the silver present there, there appeared to be no real difference. The telling point would be when I got back to the Spirit Temple and saw how they reacted to the great silver block.


	55. Punching Through

It didn't take long before I was stood before the giant block of silver, still blocking the way. There was no sign in the Temple of my earlier visit, but seven years can erase most any sign of passage with relative easy.

"Alright block," I said, preparing to push it. "You're not going to block me any more."

I set myself against it and pushed, feeling a surge of magic flow to the gauntlets to do what I alone could not. The silver block moved easily at my touch, barely needing any effort to move it down the corridor until something clunked and the block slowly sank down to become a new part of the corridor's floor, leading into a room identical to the one through the tunnel, but flipped over. There were even Keese and a spike trap in the floor.

There was a Beamos statue in place of the Armos statue, though a bomb still dispatched it. The Keese were shot down again, but with the bow, and when all monsters had been defeated the twin doors leading northwest and northeast unbarred. Just like the other side, only with a locked door directly north, instead of being hidden behind another tunnel.

The rooms they led to were different, however. The northwest door lead to a dead-end room that consisted of a lower sand-filled area, a small pillar on the far side, and the ledge I entered on, on which was a Wolfos and a Triforce made out of small floor tiles.

The Wolfos was quickly dealt with, then Zelda's lullaby caused a large chest to appear on the far side, though slightly different to all others I'd seen. Rather than simply being an iron-bound wooden chest, this one had been painted red – and I suspect a certain recently unveiled hero to have been involved in this, because inside were a pair of metal bands that had twin spikes on, each band with a hole in that would sit perfectly around the red gem in my gauntlets. Sure enough they fit perfectly, meaning when I bunched my fists the spikes looked suspiciously like someone else's fists.

These were fortunately not made of the same silver as the gauntlets, but were nevertheless potentially very useful. With them in hand – or rather, on hands – I headed back to the previous room and took the other door.

This room too was not like its partner opposite. It was like a giant half-pipe with alcoves in the walls and huge rock balls rolling from side to side, their momentum carrying up the slope on one side only to run out and roll it back for the opposing slope, where it repeated. Physics say that sooner or later they should have stopped somewhere in the middle, or that they shouldn't be able to roll in a dead straight line for long, but magic overrode physics as it so often does.

The door opposite was blocked off with more bars, perhaps unlocked by the now familiar sight of silver rupees about the room. Four were hidden in alcoves, one of which I could not see because of a Time block in the way but could feel because of the trace silver in it. The last one was in the middle of the room, right above where a rock travelled.

After having spent time in the present – or past, if you think of this as the present – it was almost instinctive for me to reach for my boomerang, but for whatever reason like many of the other items I'd obtained back then it had not accompanied me to this time.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the hovering rupee I collected simply by floating over, and I did the same for the first three in the alcoves too. For them I had to wait until the rock passed to get in, and I quickly discovered it was a bad idea to try and get back out again before the rock came back to catch me, knocking me to the floor but only just avoiding rolling over me. In a fit of irritation at that I punched the rock with the newly spiked gauntlets – and with a great rumble it shattered into so much rubble.

The novelty of that wasn't lost on me, so in short order I'd repeated for the other rocks. For someone who doesn't have much in the way of physical strength, you can't blame me for not letting the novelty wear off.

While I reached for the ocarina so I could play the Song of Time, Navi gravely surveyed the remains of the rock, then just said, "You shouldn't be so destructive."

The last silver rupee allowed us to proceed of course, letting us into another dead-end room, this time circular. There was a small chest in the middle of the room, completely unguarded.

I was right to be suspicious, since not far from the chest a Like-Like splatted down onto the floor. I gave it a quick punch with the spikes while it was still gathering itself back together again, then quickly backed away before it turned on me. A few quick attacks from the Master Sword finished it off, making it sink back down again until it faded away.

The chest gave me the first small key of this future run of the Temple, and the one I needed to go through the northbound door two rooms back. Since I'd already cleared out everything leading back there, I won't bore you with the details of that short trip back.

Once the key had let me through the door I found myself in an almost familiar situation. A narrow sandstone room that ended and turned straight up with a climbable wall – only this time without the Skulltulas.

As I headed up the sandstone was gradually replaced with browned rock instead, leaving me to emerge in a room made almost exclusively in that rock except for the floor. Set into the walls were four inactive sun switches, waiting to be triggered. A hole in the ceiling let in light, which reflected off a giant mirror in the middle of the room, waiting to be aimed at any sun switch. Possibly one of them would remove the bars preventing me from leaving through the west door.

While not visible I could hear the sounds of something going about the room with a series of tapping sounds, revealed to be a Floormaster that had not yet noticed me. I gave hand-to-hand combat a new meaning when it turned to face me only to get my spiked fists stab into the back of the hand. It _really_ didn't like that, running back away from me then turning green as it floated up to try to ram into me. I let it pass harmlessly by me, then finished it off with another pair of similar blows.

"I could get to like these things," I murmured.

"Be careful," Navi said. "Some of those switches are probably traps."

"Could well be. There's no way to tell really, so we'll just have to be careful."

"You'll have to be careful," she corrected. "I can't really do very much, can I? The mirror's got silver in, or maybe it is silver, and it's disrupting me."

Which is fair enough, I guess. Even now she didn't quite have the same kind of touch I did. I had years of practise, after all.

Since the mirror was currently reflecting the light to the left of all the sun switches I shoved against one handle, finding it twisted easily on the spot. I paused at each sun switch long enough to trigger it, causing two small chests to drop down with the first two, the door to unbar from the third, and the fourth dropped another Floormaster into the room which went the same way as the first had gone.

The chests were not so easily dealt with however. They stubbornly refused to let me open them from afar, and as Knuckles discovered once they're irritatingly difficult to destroy for what is essentially a wooden box. The only time I've ever seen an exception to that was the ones in the Fire Temple, which had trouble standing up to sharing cells with Gorons.

Warily I opened the chests by hand, the first turning out to be empty. The second was cold to the touch, which was immediately suspicious. I gave the entire chest a quick blast from Din's Fire, blackening the wood and making the metal holding it together glow a nice cherry red. When it cooled off enough to be safe to touch, I opened it and got a blast of water in the face – if I hadn't roasted it, that could have been a frigid blast of ice, and what would that have done to me?

Beyond the now unbarred door was a familiar room with the giant statue in full colour. While it looked slightly smaller now I'd grown up a bit – physically at least, if not mentally – the size of it still loomed large.

There was an Armos statue here, like there was on the other side but this one was alive and quickly bombed away. I also found that whatever had been stopping me before was no longer in force, allowing me to fly freely through the room to get a better idea of it.

From above I could see that on the upturned left palm of the statue was another Triforce symbol, while in the time between now and my last visit someone had added two torches on a raised plinth right in front of the statue – both of them left unlit.

Zelda's lullaby caused two chests to clatter down from some unseen concealment, one on the pillar just east of the statue, while the other dropped to the right palm instead. Since I was already on one palm I headed for that one first, retrieving a small key from it before I headed up for the other chest. That contained only rupees, but it was a good thing I checked it – now I was up here I spotted a rusted switch I hadn't before.

Interestingly, now I wore the Silver Gauntlets, the Megaton Hammer didn't seem to weigh so much. I didn't find the need to use my mind to support my hold on it this time. It might just have been me, or maybe as Tails observed more than once, all this Heroing was getting me in better shape than I was usually.

Hammering the rusty switch down caused a door I hadn't spotted before to lose the covering bars. I used the sound of that to find it, a door in the south wall on the lowest part of the room, right between the two staircases.

Since I was down here anyway, I headed to the two torches and lit them both with a single Fire Arrow. This caused another large chest to appear, this time looking more normal than the red one I'd seen earlier and containing the ever-useful dungeon map.

Now I had several options. I'd come in from the east rather than the west this time, but like the west side of the room there was another door at the top of that staircase too. I quickly figured out and covered the area I'd taken seven years before, finding there was nothing more I needed to do in that area, or at least the parts of it I could reach from this room.

There was the newly unlocked door leading south which, if I read the map right, led to a room directly above the Temple's entrance hall. I'd noticed before that there was a hole in the ceiling of that room – maybe I could create a shortcut there. I could feel a large amount of silver in the area, so perhaps there was another silver block.

I decided to investigate that first, finding it really was another block. Now I knew it would move easily at my touch I shoved it down the corridor it was wedged in, where after a ways it too sank into the ground to become part of the floor. Beyond it was another rusty switch, which after smashing it down to make it work caused a piece of nearby floor to descend. I looked after it and saw, yes, the entrance hall.

This is not to say that, like various previous shortcuts I'd made, I'd actually use them, but it was better to have them and not need them.

I didn't need to leave or backtrack right now, so I headed back into the statue room and went for the only other door I hadn't gone through. It was locked, but I had a key for that. Much like Tails, I did experimentally try picking the lock – not something I'm actually very good at, but I don't have to use bits of metal to pick it, I can just trigger it by moving the internal parts. Just like him, all I achieved was finding out that unless it was done by one of the many identical small keys in the Temple, it wasn't going to unlock.

Well, at least I tried.


	56. Mirror, Mirror

After a short, curved and well upholstered staircase that had been guarded by two Beamos, I emerged into another room that was missing much of its floor. This had solid ground in only three corners, everything else was missing but for the narrow stone walkways arranged in a grid fashion.

Three Anubis statues watched me from various parts of the room, waiting for me to make a move so they could mirror it, while on the neighbouring platform a Beamos was surveying the room, just out of range of me. I had a bomb hover nearby for it to look at, which caused it to close its eye. When I removed it, the eye opened again only for the blast of the bomb to defeat it anyway.

There was a crystal switch on one side of the room that would probably start another fire, but here in the future I had plenty more options. The floating Anubis would only attack if I swung my sword, so I simply took out the fire crystal and three arrows, touching it to each one as I fired them. The resulting fire arrows destroyed all three easily.

This let me leave by the only door on the east wall and back into a room made entirely of sandstone. Even without the sunlight streaming in through a hole, the sandstone alone made the place look brighter.

The sunlight was simply falling on empty floor, while the sun switch it was presumably meant to trigger was on the north wall, a fair way out of the sunlight. Unless I could find something reflective enough in here, it couldn't be triggered.

Both north and south doors were barred off, and a spike trap, while not hard to avoid, was in the path of the north door. Four Armos statues, all of them alive, were stood in a square around a blue switch – and blue usually meant 'not going to stay down'.

Fortunately I still had the cure for this. A swing from the little-used Cane of Somalia caused a faint surge of magic to solidify into the typical red block, switching the switch and unbarring both north and south doors without disturbing even one of the Armos statues. What then was the sun switch for? Another trap?

Either way, I briefly consulted the map finding the south door would lead to a room reminiscent of its west side counterparts, which meant I'd find my way outside to the left hand of the Desert Colossus, where the map had a strangely shaped squiggle that looked like it could be a shield. It didn't look like any shield I'd seen before, but there wasn't much else it could be.

"Navi, would there by any chance be another Iron Knuckle up in this room?" I asked, showing her the map and the room I meant.

I felt the sense of her reaching out, then she replied, "At least consider using Bombchus this time?"

"I'll take that as a yes," I said, chuckling. There was another red carpeted staircase, this time deserted, leading up to the Iron Knuckle's room, which was identical to the one I'd seen before just flipped over. Six pillars, a throne, and the thick warrior sat waiting for someone to attack it. I lined myself up with it and sent a Bombchu skittering over the floor toward it.

The throne was reduced to so much rubble with the explosion, causing the Iron Knuckle to momentarily fall to the floor with an angry cry. It used the giant axe to shove itself back up and head for me.

I sent another Bombchu, then took cover behind a pillar. The Iron Knuckle appeared not to have noticed the Bombchu, but it did stop when it lost sight of me with the typical, "Ugh?" Then the Bombchu blew up, and the leg armour dropped off.

"I'm going to have to ignore you, Navi," I murmured. "Bombchu's can only hit their legs."

"Just be careful, will you?"

"Naturally," I grinned back, then came back out into view. The Iron Knuckle stared at the pillar it had ben about to destroy, then to me, and reoriented on me. This time I decided to steal another idea, this time from the giant Moblin outside the Forest Temple, and 'persuaded' its axe to conveniently leave its hands. It didn't even notice the missing weight, or the clatter it made when it dropped onto the floor, swinging a phantom axe for me only to give another dull exclamation when it wondered why I was still there.

Then I punched it in the face, the twin spikes conveniently spaced perfectly apart to reach through the holes for its eyes. It stumbled back, trying to clutch at its eyes through the helmet, then while it was distracted I cut off the last straps holding the main armour on to leave it vulnerable – which it also didn't notice – and finish it off by running it through.

"Well that wasn't nearly as much fun as the last one," I remarked.

"Fun!" Navi exclaimed. "You're the Hero of Time, but all you can think about is how fun your fights are?"

"Better than being worried about what's to come," I replied calmly, heading through the opening that led outside. Another large chest awaited on the giant hand of the Desert Colossus, containing a shield that was even larger than the Hylian one with a brightly burnished mirror set into the polished red metal frame. "Excellent. I can use this on that sun switch back there, and on Twinrova to save my mind a bit of trouble."

"You know, this might be the first Temple we've been to where you've got three items from it," Navi said thoughtfully. "First the Silver Gauntlets, then those... spike things whatever they are, and now this mirrored shield..."

"I suspect the spikes might not have been originally here though," I said. "The chest we got them from was different to all the others." Yes, at the time I had my suspicions. At the time though, I thought there were only two hedgehogs in Hyrule, discounting Dark Silver. Tails and Jet had yet to come here, and I had no idea who else would have come with them, so it seemed more like a very unusual coincidence to me.

I backtracked to the room with the four Armos statues where the block I'd created had vanished, causing the door to lock again behind me. I could have recreated it, but I didn't need to go that way. Of course, I'd probably have to trigger it again to head north, but first I wanted to find out what the Sun switch did.

The mirror shield worked perfectly, reflecting the sunlight coming through the hole on to the wall. The designs etched into the mirror showed up in the light against the wall, allowing me to adjust my aim until I hit the sun switch. The face on the switch woke up, eyes opening with a smile as the north door unlocked on its own, remaining so even after I had stopped reflecting the light. Not a trap after all then.

All that led to was a small round room containing a small chest. After the last room like this I remained cautious, but Navi reported that there was absolutely nothing here at all, leaving me to collect the small key from the chest and backtrack further.

This time I stopped at the room that had held the three Anubis, unlocking the last of the three doors in here to enter a tall room that was clearly a trap. Several traps, in fact. The wall ahead had a series of lines that moved erratically back and forth, sometimes out of sight past the walls and the lines of spikes there. Any ordinary person climbing would have to time things just right to climb each section before it decided to cover the small climbable part as it attempted to impale them on the spikes on either side.

Obviously I ignored the necessity of climbing up, but on the way up I observed, "Who in their right mind builds this place to honour some desert goddess, and includes a trap like this in its design?"

"The same two people who we'll find waiting for us at the end of the Temple maybe?" Navi suggested. "Nabooru told you to run when they were capturing her just after we got the Silver Gauntlets, so they'll have heard of you at least. In seven years, they could have found out all about you, and done stuff here to prepare for your arrival."

"Not all about me, I hope. I'd hate to think someone knows everything about me."

"More incentive to go find them then, isn't it?"

Sometimes I wonder if Navi ever met Midna, or if all heroic companions are like that.

At the top I headed through the door to a narrow junction with a Triforce symbol on the floor, a door straight ahead that was barred off, and a plainer door west that wasn't. Zelda's lullaby opened the barred door, letting me into a long room with a line of doors on the walls, though as they were laid against the walls rather than set into them it was fairly clear they weren't real.

On the far side was the blue and gold chest that contained the boss key, surrounded by a ring of fire. A platform above had a crystal switch just peeking into view, and several fire slugs were about the room – all of which quickly dispatched.

I shot the crystal switch with an arrow, causing it to trigger. The three fake doors on the west and east wall, along with the two on the back wall on either side of the chest, all slammed down onto the floor, held to the walls behind with chains. Behind the one left of the chest was a golden eye switch.

The crystal stayed switched for only a moment though, and as it unswitched the doors were yanked back up by the chains.

Some quick shooting was clearly in order here. I positioned myself so none of the doors would catch me and so I wouldn't have to change my aim much to go from the crystal to the eye, then shot the crystal again – and looked in surprise as I saw the golden eye had moved to one of the fake doors on the wall beside me!

So quick shooting wasn't the answer. The last time I'd dealt with fake doors was in the Fire Temple, and there I'd simply blown them up to get rid of them. I knew which door the eye was behind, so blew it up only to find the wall behind was bare.

I methodically went through each of the other fake doors until there were none left, and quite naturally the golden eye was concealed behind the last one I destroyed. Now it had nowhere to hide, I shot it to remove the fire around the chest, planning to wait for the chest to cool – but the eye switch was as uncooperative as the crystal one, unswitching itself as well. A second shot removed the flame again, allowing me to gingerly open the chest to retrieve the still hot key. I had to use an ice arrow to cool it off enough to handle.

The plain door led to a ring of rooms that were a puzzle in themselves. The first part of it was separated from the other three rooms, on one wall by a door and on another by a series of metal bars. Opposite the bars, held in place by chains was a large, but ordinary mirror that if light had been reflected off would have sent it down onto a circular part of the floor below, the cracks around it suggesting it once moved. There was a sun switch that could only be triggered by standing in the light that should have been there and reflecting the it back toward that wall, but the key thing was there was no light.

The door led to the first of three small rock caverns, where a Lizalfos waited for me. Rather disappointingly it was incapable of defending itself against Biggoron's sword, and only two blows were enough to fell the lizard.

There was an opening that led to the next cavern, where sunlight streamed down and off a mirror to glare into my face. From outside of that light I spotted another sun switch above the opening, bearing the bright sunlight to activated it only to cause a chest to drop down that resupplied my bomb bag.

I used the shield to protect myself from the worst of the light so I could see into the next room, where three White Bubbles were... dancing around the mirror. Or at least that's what it looked like. They completely ignored me, leaving enough room for me to get out of the bright light so I could see properly, and even so I could simply hold the sword out in their path for them to collide with and kill themselves.

With the twin hints of the bombs and a very cracked wall, I left a bomb to clear the path to the third chamber where there was another mirror, thankfully unlit and not trying to blast sunlight in my face, with more White Bubbles doing whatever it was around it. This mirror had no handles on, but once I dealt with the White Bubbles I realised it didn't need them because it was already aligned. I was now on the other side of the bars.

Now I went back to the first mirror and rotated it around to bounce the sunlight off the second, and when I made it back to the other side of the bars again I saw the light reflected off the larger mirror to the circle area. I dropped down to it and used the mirror shield to trigger the sun switch, making the entire circle platform shake, rumble, then start to descend on creaking ancient chains, taking me down to the room below – which was the one with the statue in it again. It stopped directly opposite the face of the statue.

The sunlight was still streaming down from above, and I knew there to be no sun switches in this room. The map told me there was a door hidden behind the face, but the face didn't seem to have any way of being moved aside or opened. I almost used a bomb, but figured that the sunlight wouldn't be brought into a room unnecessarily, and with inspiration reflected the sunlight at the face.

For whatever reason, that worked. The face crumbled away to reveal the ornate lock of the boss door beyond. As I approached it though, I felt something suspiciously familiar on the other side... had Nabooru somehow managed to escape Kotake and Koume?


	57. Sorceress Sisters

In breaking the theme of several dungeons before now, behind the boss door of the Spirit Temple was the mini-boss battle – right before the boss. The two Gerudo witches Kotake and Koume were hovering on their broomsticks on either side of an Iron Knuckle that wore white armour instead of the normal black. Like other Iron Knuckle rooms, there were three pillars on either side of the carpet, but this time there was no throne. Not that it mattered.

They noticed me, each one with a coloured gem in their forehead to identify which element they had. Koume, the one who commanded fire, cackled, "Looks like someone is here, Koume."

"Looks like it, Kotake," the other agreed. "What an outrageous creature he is to intrude so boldly into our Temple!"

"I'm right here you know," I said mildly.

They ignored me though. Kotake merely echoed Koume's comment, "We should teach this outrageous creature a lesson!"

Then both together, "Oh loyal minion, destroy this intruder on our behalf!"

The Iron Knuckle rose from its kneeled position, the witches making an exit through the door behind. As they left, the Iron Knuckle paused, glancing to its empty hands, then snapped its fingers to cause an axe to appear with a cruel laugh.

I decided not to play along this time. I didn't want the two witches to escape, and I certainly didn't want to waste my energy on this. So I lifted the Iron Knuckle up, which didn't seem to register on the typically dense mind.

Without making a move for it, I once again sent my sword whistling from its scabbard to find and chop the straps holding the armour, each piece vanishing as it clattered to the floor, only to find that it wasn't the dark-skinned form of an Iron Knuckle that had been wearing it.

It was Nabooru. Blank faced and still clearly under the influence of Twinrova. I pulled off the metal gauntlets holding the axe, discarding it for her as I set her down, still holding her in place in case she tried anything else before she came around.

Then I went to work. I don't usually work with the mind of others, but it was necessary here. I took off one gauntlet and the glove beneath, since physical contact is vital for this kind of work, then reached out to find her mind.

I'll spare you my pitiful attempt to explain how I perceived it. The mind isn't really wired to understand the sort of thing I was doing so it improvises, and because of that no words can accurately describe it. To say the least, I found Nabooru's mind submerged beneath the magic of Twinrova. Nabooru's mind was aware of me, and just as Dark Silver had lent me his power for Bongo-Bongo, I gently guided her so she could do the same from me to push back at the magic.

Magic is stubborn though, and my mind alone wasn't enough to force it out. I did something then that was so unpredictable that even I had no idea if it would work or not, and if it did what the effects would be.

Nayru's Love is meant to create physical barriers, this I already knew. But like the other two spells, it could be implemented differently depending on how I focused the magic. As long as Twinrova's magic was in contact with Nabooru's mind, even with my aid it would still be enough to hold her down. So I used the spell to create not a physical, real barrier but an unreal, mental one separating the magic from the mind. It safeguarded her mind from its effects, and working together gave us something to push back against without fear of the magic retaliating until at last she shook off their magic. From the door ahead of me, there were two screeches of frustration.

"Silver," Nabooru murmured. "Is it... really you? You look different."

"Of course it's me. Who else do you know who wears green in the desert?" I replied.

"What happened to me? The last thing I remember was telling you to run, then..."

"Kotake and Koume used their magic on you. You were forced to do their bidding, which just now included trying to get rid of me. Don't worry, I'm fine. You, however, just went through a nice ordeal just fighting off their magic. You need to rest, and leave them to me."

"But what if they come back?"

I grinned mirthlessly, "Don't worry. I don't intend to let them. I'll show them what happens when they mess with the Hero of Time. Just be patient – I promise to come see you again as soon as I've defeated them."

A promise I knew I could keep, because during the contact with her mind I'd found the tell-tale signs of sagehood. Nabooru was the final Sage.

"I'll stay with her," Navi said, surprising me. "I was watching what you did, if you leave us the spell, I'll make sure she's safe."

"Are you sure about this, Navi? Letting me go into this without you?"

"What, you're not getting cold feet are you?"

"Cold feet?" I exclaimed. "Perish the thought! Just... take care."

So for the first time ever – in Hyrule at least – I faced a boss fight without Navi. She had a good point at least. It wouldn't do for the Spirit Sage to be turned back into the Iron Knuckle as she awakened.

The room beyond was vast, completely constructed of not yellow but white sandstone. The room was not exactly round either, but a series of flat sides forming an octagon. Five raised pillars were arranged in a cross, separated from each other. Only the middle one had a ladder, not that I needed it.

I could tell the twin sisters were here, though I couldn't see them. After I shook off the tenseness that disrupted my mind I focused it ready to strike out if they tried anything, holding the Mirror Shield in place beside the Master Sword.

"Look at that stupid creature!" Kotake's voice sounded. "He came on his own to offer himself as a sacrifice to the great Ganondorf!"

"Get real, hag," my voice echoed around the chamber. "The only ones being sacrificed here are you!"

"Not if we get to him first, I think," Koume answered. The two appeared above the platforms on either side, raising their wands. First they circled me, and the purple portal appeared beneath me. I simply rose up above that to avoid it.

"You'll have to do better than that!" I taunted.

"Did you hear that Koume? He says we'll have to do better!"

"I heard, Kotake! Better it is!"

The portal faded, their magic now directed at me. There was no visible sign of their magic, but I felt it – they were trying to do the same thing to me as they had to Nabooru. _My_ mind is stronger than hers and after holding off Bongo-Bongo was more than up to the task of fending this off. Worse yet for them, I followed the magic back to them and dealt out the mental equivalent of a slap – not just any slap either, they both got a taste of just how much I could muster against them.

The two hags dropped out of the air, catching themselves before they hit anything. The magic faded again, their attempt foiled. The two sisters looked stunned when they rose back into sight.

"I may not be all that strong, I may not even be a powerful magician," I told them. "But my mind is a fortress that you hags have no hope of conquering. If that's the best you two can do together, I've vastly overestimated you. I came here expecting a challenge, but you? You're nothing to me." I was goading them, quite deliberately. If you goad someone the right way, you can force them into acting rashly, and a rash decision is never a good one.

The two sisters stared at me in astonishment. I got the impression that no one had ever spoken to them that way, nor had anyone ever bested them before – let alone with the apparent ease I'd had.

With a vague and inarticulate cry Kotake raised her wand and shot a beam of ice at me. With practised calm reactions, I altered my position to bounce the cold beam off the Mirror Shield for Koume, who gave a startled screech as it hit her and she fell once again out of the air.

Kotake broke off her attack after realising what I'd made her do, only to get hit by the same thing herself as Koume shot a fire beam at me, bounced off to hit her sister similarly.

Now they started to circle me again, trying different angles to try to stop me reflecting their magic back at the opposing sister. They even tried staying completely opposite each other until I dropped to the floor and held the shield above me to bounce their attacks back up at them.

"Is that the best you can do?" I shouted over the sound of a particularly powerful blast of fire that Kotake only just managed to escape.

The two sisters took that as their cue to step up their attacks once again, linking hands and spinning in a tightening circle as they cast their magic to unify into one giant Gerudo, one side of her hair flaming red the other a cold blue – Twinrova. In either hand she held the wands of the two witches, on set ablaze the other burned with a cold fire.

After Twinrova circled me a few times she paused over one of the other pillars, raised the fire wand and shot fire at me. I attempted to reflect it back at her cold side, but oddly the Mirror Shield simply absorbed her magic and started glowing red, pulsing with a faint hum of the magic it had taken in.

Twinrova attacked again, this time with ice – and when the ice beam caught the glowing red shield, the conflicting magic exploded! I had barely enough time to throw myself from the pillar to avoid the magical conflagration. Evidently, this was not going to work, but what else could I try?

She didn't pause in her attack, sending another ice beam at me as I came back up, forcing me to duck and weave as she tracked me until I retrieved the Mirror Shield and caught the blast within it – now it glowed blue, holding the ice magic.

What would happen if I avoided the fire magic, but collected more ice magic, I wondered. Twinrova had not considered this either it seemed, as she shot another frigid blast at me. The pulsing hums grew more frequent as it absorbed this second blast, becoming a high-pitched hum. She shot fire at me which I avoided, taking care not to let it catch the shield and cause another detonation, then again she repeated fire.

Then finally she shot a third ice attack, and the Mirror Shield launched its counterattack, blasting a huge beam of ice back at Twinrova that caused her to drop to the pillar below, stunned. I wasted no time at all in propelling myself through the intervening space to attack with my sword, doing as much as I could before she recovered.

When she did I was quickly kicked off the platform – and unfortunately for me, I mean that literally. I kept my hold on the shield this time though, so when she shot fire at me as I emerged, I was able to absorb it rather than get scorched.

Again I avoided or absorbed their attacks, collecting three fire while escaping the chilling blasts of ice that were sent my way. A fire counterattack had the same effect as the ice had, giving me a second opportunity – then as I avoided getting kicked off again, an idea occurred to me.

I switched the Master Sword for Din's Fire, evading another ice beam that came my way as I channelled the magic of the spell directly into the shield – which glowed red, starting to hum, then whine as the pitch increased the more magic I poured into it. I paused when it was close to releasing it, getting as close to Twinrova as I dared before I added the last flame that caused it to spit it all back out at her, just as if it had been their magic.

With the final strike I made this time Twinrova split back into the two sisters with a bright white flash. They had appeared over the central pillar in a shaft of light... with halos above their heads.

"Excuse me," I said in faint bemusement. "You were trying to take over the world through Ganondorf, right?" Kotake nodded, having not realised what I did. "Then how come you've got halos and are being taken up above?"

Koume looked above her sisters head and stared. "We're... dead?"

"I can't be dead!" Kotake snapped. "I'm only four-hundred years old!"

"And I'm only three-hundred and eighty!" Koume wailed.

"We're twins!" Kotake snapped, turning on her sister. "Don't try to lie about your age!"

"You must have gone senile!" Koume snapped back as the two of them started to rise up.

"Who are you calling senile? Is that how you treat your older sister?"

"We're twins – how can you be older?" Koume argued, rather hypocritically given her attempt to conceal her age.

"How can you be so heartless?"

"How can _you_ be so ungrateful?"

The two paused, apparently realising they were about to fade out of sight of me, and together screamed back, "We'll come back to haunt you!"

"Yeah, you and all the other bosses I've beaten," I muttered. The light they'd been taken by faded out, revealing the blue light that had been concealed underneath. I reached out briefly to find Navi and Nabooru, only to find they weren't there – Navi must have been taken with her to the Chamber of Sages. Or at least, I hoped so.


	58. The Veil Lifted

I did not immediately head for the portal of light that had appeared. First I had to find the Mirror of Twilight, and if I headed to the Temple of Light now I'd only have to trek back through the Spirit Temple or use Farore's Wind to get back here, when handling it now was much more convenient. I hoped Navi and Nabooru would understand at least, and if not I'd just have to explain myself.

All Sheik had said was that it was somewhere here in the Temple. I figured that if it was as important as it sounded, Twinrova had probably known about it too and would have guarded, if not hidden it. I searched the room, using the Lens of Truth to uncover anything they might have concealed. I found chests brimming with treasures in gold and silver, even rupees – no, I didn't take any, tempting as it was – and in the back of the room, a low entrance to a stairway heading up.

Once I'd ducked into the staircase I floated up instead, following the spiralling stairs up quicker than anyone could have run up them. They were dimly lit, but as I closed on the top natural light blasted down on the yellowed stone.

Tails will no doubt recognise what I saw next. I was on top of the Spirit Temple, having come up into a large flat area. There were none of the adornments that would later be built here, but there were seven short, squat and plain pillars arranged in a ring around a giant black stone that was held up into the air by a vast arrangement of chains. On a simple pedestal before it, given pride of place in the center of the ring, there was a large circle mirror with curious designs on it.

The entire area, rather remarkably given its location, was swept clean of all sand. This was useful – Zelda needed a Triforce symbol carved here, and if it was covered up by sand it might not work. I needed something to carve it with though, and I didn't really want to dull the edges of either sword with this.

I found a solution on top of the pedestal. There was room around the mirror for several people to stand, giving plenty of space for it. It was constructed of the same sandstone as everything else, but even sandstone would blacken with enough heat.

"I need your help here," I told the back of my hand. My Triforce piece flickered into life. "If I put out Din's Fire here," I pointed to a spot. "Can you guide it so it leaves an untouched mark of you?"

The triangle flickered in surprise, but appeared to agree. Without warning I felt something reach out to me and use my own mind to lift me up – the Triforce was acting on its own. I still had control, it was just guiding me.

It had me float conveniently right above the mirror, then waited for me to fetch out Din's Fire, placed in the same hand it occupied. The magic it used then came not from me but from it instead, changing the red flame into a golden light – not arranged around the mirror or the shape I'd intended, but blazing forth in the shape of the Triforce itself.

The light changed the pedestal from sandstone to grey stone, then when it faded out it revealed a gleaming Triforce right in front of the Mirror of Twilight.

"I didn't think of that," I admitted. "Thanks for your help."

The Triforce of Courage pulsed once, then faded out again. I wonder just how much of an awareness the Triforce actually has?

* * *

My tasks complete, I wasted no time in warping myself back down to the boss room so I could catch up with Nabooru. I took the light to the Temple of Light, descending down to find, rather predictably, that Nabooru was waiting for me with Navi hovering nearby.

"What kept you?" Nabooru asked, handing back Nayru's Love.

"You didn't tell her?" I said to Navi. "I had to find the Mirror of Twilight for Princess Zelda."

"Oh. That," Navi said. "I guess I forgot."

"What does the Princess want with something like that?" Nabooru wondered to herself. "Anyway, I owe you Silver. You didn't just get the Silver Gauntlets, you rescued me and then brought me into my birthright! If only you were really as Hylian as you looked back then..." she left it lingering.

"You know, your friends at the Gerudo Fortress had the same kind of thought when they gave me this," I said, showing her the parchment proclaiming me to be Gerudo too. "Oh, that reminds me – one of them there, the one you left in command said whatever you do, they're with you."

Nabooru laughed, "I don't think they need worry anymore! All six of us Sages have been awakened thanks to you. You've come a long way since Rauru met you. You're more than up to the task of facing Ganondorf now. Go to him, Silver – go to him and take him down for all Hyrule!" She paused, then in a less grand tone added, "And I won't think badly of you if you happen to give him a kick or two for me."

"I'll see what I can do for you," I replied with a broad grin, taking the medallion she handed to me. Navi quickly flew over to join me before I was taken back to Hyrule.

Except... the light didn't come. Even Nabooru looked surprised, but then next to her Rauru made a second appearance.

"Silver, you must hurry to the Temple of Time," he told me before he'd even finished rising out of the design representing Light. "The Princess is waiting for you there – she has something you must have if you are to defeat Ganondorf. Do not waste time when you arrive back in Hyrule, for should you leave it too long he may discover her at the Temple of Time."

"Send me back then," I said. "As close as you can, if you can. If not, I'll just play the song-"

"Ganondorf is blocking warp magic across Hyrule – you will have to make your own way there. Hurry Silver!" Rauru commanded, then the light at last came and took me back.

* * *

I was deposited outside the Desert Colossus. Either these were fixed points, or Ganondorf's interference was limiting what they could do. As soon as I touched down on the ground I marshalled my mind, taking an idea from both Forest and Water Temples, forming a sphere around me that I then threw toward the unnatural sandstorm. I held it in the air with a few thoughts, providing momentum and direction with nudges as needed.

The sand flew up on either side as I shot across the desert. Before I reached the sandstorm I fixed the minds of the Gerudos on the far side in place, using them and the natural magnetic field to tell exactly where I was going.

Since I was cutting straight across rather than being led all around by the Poe guide earlier, it took no time to emerge back in the Gerudo Fortress, much to the surprise of the Gerudos there. They took one look and scattered, getting clear of me before I got anywhere near them.

I didn't stop at the now repaired bridge, the camp and workmen all gone now, continuing out onto Hyrule field where I found Epona grazing nearby. It might not have been anything compared to the kind of speed I can pick up travelling that way, but if Ganondorf was involved I wanted to be ready for him, so I stopped and mounted up.

"We need to get to the castle town as soon as you can," I told Epona, who shuddered back slightly then broke into her favourite distance-eating gallop. While on horseback I could trust her to convey me safely there while I sought out the Temple of Time mentally, reaching out to confirm what Rauru had said.

Zelda's familiar mind came back to me, aware of my presence but without the ability to respond. This time I also detected something else as well – another piece of the Triforce. Now I knew where all three pieces were. She had Wisdom, I had Courage, and Ganondorf had Power. What I didn't know still was why it had split thus - why when Ganondorf had taken it, he had only gained one piece.

I searched further, reaching toward the castle, but something repelled me.

_"Don't try to break through just yet, Silver,"_ Saria's voice came to me. _"We all have to be present to break through Ganondorf's barrier. See the Princess first."_

Sound enough. There was still one person I wanted to check up on, quickly reaching back to the other side of the field to find Kokiri Forest. Scourge was still there, and if the impression I got was anything to go by, he was sleeping. Which was perfect – I found that despite his alignment, I had no real wish to act against him. I preferred he kept out of it.

During all of this Epona kept on going, pulling in beside the broken bridge and getting my attention by rearing back. I brought my mind back, then saw why – there was a veritable army of Redeads shambling out.

"You really think that is going to stop me?" I demanded under my breath, then repeated my first encounter with a Redead. This time the sheer power I output was not due to nerves, but deliberately chosen to ensure I eliminated every last one of them.

"Go somewhere safe," I told Epona afterwards. "The ranch would be best. Don't worry about me – I'll come back to visit you as soon as I can. I promise."

Epona nuzzled at me affectionately, then took off, pausing only once to glance back at me as if to tell me I'd better come back, then at last she left.

The ruined marketplace was devoid of even Redead life, though after the mass of them I'd just dealt with I didn't see this as remarkable. I just pushed straight on to the Temple of Time.

Awaiting me before the altar, strangely reminiscent of a wedding – though I hoped she wasn't going to try and take a leaf from Ruto there – was Zelda, still in the form of Sheik. On seeing me enter however, she held her hands together, her piece of the Triforce glowing brightly, then it cleared to show her for herself.

There was no need for an explanation – I knew it had been her all along, and I knew why she'd had to hide by disguising herself.

"It's time at last, Silver. Time for us to put things right."

"Tell me something, Princess. Why did the Triforce split into three parts?"

"The Sheikah had the explanation. It is said that only one who's heart is in balance can obtain the True Force. If it is not, then they only get the part they most believe in, and the other two go to those who are most worthy. Ganondorf believes power is the way, so the Triforce of Power went with him. I am of the royal line, always known to qualify me as the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, and as Hyrule's current reigning Hero-"

"I got the last piece," I finished.

"Exactly. But it doesn't end there. Ganondorf knows as well as the Sheikah do that the other two pieces can be acquired by freeing them from their vessels. I shouldn't need to tell you how he thinks that should be done. He knows now where the two pieces reside, and will be here before long to try to claim my piece. Even if he does, he will still seek you out."

"No, he wont," I said. "Because I'm going to get to him first."

Zelda simply nodded, clasping her hands together. A flash of yellow light came from them, then she held out one of them to show what she'd created.

"With this, your arrows will become empowered with the power of light," she told me. "They have ever been then strongest weapon against evil before the Sword of Evil's Bane. Go now, Silver – even if Ganondorf captures me now, he must still face you."

"At least try to stay safe, Princess," I said lightly, turning to leave. "It's very clichéd, having to go running after a damsel in distress you know."


	59. Tower of Trouble

**A/N:** Slightly later than I planned due to technical issues, but here we have the final chapter before the epic battles begin, in which Silver proves that even hedgehogs know how to be a troll.

Stay tuned, as time permitting, this story may see not one, but several chapters tomorrow to round it out to its conclusion.

Enjoy!

* * *

Ganondorf's Castle was a drab grey edifice that sat on the grounds Hyrule Castle once had. It radiated out in six wings away from the central castle, which rose up in a single ever shrinking column like a giant thorn, stabbing at the grey skies above.

The gardens I'd once sneaked through were gone, replaced by a great chasm where the earth had been rent asunder, revealing roiling magma below. The castle was supported on a vast pillar of blackened stone reaching into that yawning abyss, the only thing keeping it and the reaching wings from being consumed by it.

Only the path leading to the gates and from there to the Great Fairy's cavern remained now, and even the gates had been destroyed. I sensed the presence of the Great Fairy, but the entrance to her cavern had been blocked off by a towering monolith of silver – actual silver, right the way through. Not even the might of the Silver Gauntlets let me shift that, and because of the silver in it my mind shuddered back from even the thought of reaching out to it.

Due to all this, there was no immediate route to the invitingly open doors to Chateau Ganondorf. This would have been an obstacle, but naturally this is me we're talking about. Ganondorf might have been blocking out warp magic, he might even have found a way to make Scourge – and who knows what else – immune to my mind, but he had no way to stop me from simply flying the gap to land inside the central hub of his stronghold.

Here I saw immediately that I had work to do. The only access to the tower above was blocked off by an shimmering barrier, supplied with energy from six beams. Each beam had a different, distinct colour that reached back toward one of the wings I'd seen from the outside, above them a symbol matching one of the Temples.

The sign of the Spirit Temple was to my immediate left, followed by the bright yellow of the Light Temple, and the Fire Temple's sign above the next one around just visible to one side of the field. On my right the Forest Temple's green design started the sequence, followed by the Water Temple and finally the Shadow Temple.

It was clear that I was going to have to do something in each of these wings to weaken, if not deactivate the main barrier. As long as it was in place, Ganondorf all the time in the world to prepare for me, if he hadn't already.

I could also feel the distinctive presence of another silver monolith, coming from the direction of the Fire Temple's wing – but what got my attention more was the distinctive feeling of the only metal that doesn't resist my touch, but amplifies it even more than my own gloves did: Gold.

I'd felt the presence of gold in Hyrule before, of course – the room in which I'd fought Twinrova had it in considerable amounts of treasure. In that form though it's useless to me – for me to use it, it has to be made in a form I can use it, much like the Silver Gauntlets.

What I could feel could have been Ganondorf's personal treasury, but I doubted that. It was only a small presence, though enough to cut through the overwhelming silver monolith easily. It seemed unlikely he'd only have one bit of gold in his entire castle, and even less likely given that wealth here was in the Rupees, so this intrigued me.

The gold was coming from within the wing dedicated to the Shadow Temple, which I approached somewhat hesitantly. I did _not_ want to lose access to my mind again right in the lion's den. Fortunately as I passed through I noticed that while the inside looked like something out of the Shadow Temple, it did not share the spirits of the restless dead.

It was a long room that was given mostly over to a bottomless seeming pit. There was a wide gap between the entry platform and one ahead that held a Like-Like, beyond there a series of high and low ledges held in the air presumably by magic. From one of them came the sense of the gold, though I could not see anything.

I used my first Light Arrow on the Like-Like, noting as I shot it that it drew more than either Fire or Ice Arrows had. With good reason though, as Light Arrows streaked straight with none of the arcing normal arrows had, and when it hit the Like-Like it was defeated instantly – these things were powerful!

There was a torch nearby I lit with a Fire Arrow, causing several platforms to reveal themselves. Since this was only a facsimile of the corresponding Temple however I had no need of them and floated on over, past the platform the Like-Like had been on.

From here I saw a switch on a lower platform, too low to have been seen from the entrance and too far from the exit opposite to be part of the main route. It was of the blue variety, the kind that won't stay switched, so I once again pulled out the Cane of Somalia to create the red block holding it down, causing a large chest to appear at the exact spot I could feel the gold.

Naturally I headed to check out what I'd just uncovered, finding a pair of gauntlets that were identical to my own, but with gold plates instead of silver. _This_ was a form I could use perfectly. As if in mute response to my abilities, there was an additional plate of gold set into the palms. These Golden Gauntlets were clearly made for me. With them in hand, not even silver could stop me, and I suspected these would even let me lift the towering monoliths with ease.

I paused only to switch the gauntlets before I made for the exit door, only to find it was barred off – unbarred by a rusted switch opposite the one that had caused the chest to appear. The Megaton Hammer switched it with a powerful blow, the hammer itself barely feeling heavy in my hands now. I _liked_ these Gauntlets. I still have them somewhere, although they don't fit as readily as they did back then.

Behind the door was a short dead-end room with two purple glowing braziers and ball of similarly coloured light being syphoned off into the beam.

"Use the power of light, boy!" Impa's voice commanded from the glowing light. I answered that by shooting a Light Arrow into the ball, causing it to burst to reveal Impa herself. The combined power of the Sage of Shadow and the power of Light gave her strength to sever this beam.

"I will transport you back to the entrance," Impa told me. "I must remain here to aid you in your struggle. Please save Hyrule, Silver!" The rooms rushed back past me then, while I felt no movement at all – a distinctly disorienting experience.

At this point I felt I had to check the power of the Golden Gauntlets, and also pay a call on the last Great Fairy before I faced Ganondorf. Navi, since I hadn't told her this, wondered what we were doing, prompting a brief explanation as I hurried for the silver monolith outside.

She didn't seem convinced by my explanation, but in any case she'd get a practical demonstration anyway. I dug out some of the earth at the base of the monolith until I could get a grip underneath it, then braced myself and heaved. Magic flowed through the Gauntlets, allowing me to pull it free, stagger back a few steps because even they couldn't fully nullify the sheer weight of that thing, then with another mighty heave I flung it back over my shoulders and down into the lava filled lake below.

Navi was left speechless.

"Be afraid, Ganondorf," I smirked toward the top of the tower. "You're losing your advantages one golden step after another. Lets go see the Great Fairy Navi, and see what she can do to make Ganondorf's live even harder still."

The Great Fairy was waiting for me, unlike all the others.

"The time has come at last, Great Hero," she greeted me. "You've come so far since I gave you Din's Fire."

"And a good thing you did too," I replied. "Without it I'd have had a harder time by far."

"And are you ready to face what is fated to happen?" Without hesitating, I nodded agreement. "Then by the power of all the Great Fairies of Hyrule, I grant you the defence that befits a Hero. Though you see it not, all harm that would come to you will be greatly reduced. Now go forth, Hero of Time, save the Sages and face Ganondorf! The way of the Hero will undoubtedly lead you to victory!"

The vote of confidence was well-received. Not that I felt I needed it much, but it reminded me that I had the support of all Hyrule, even if they didn't know it.

On my way back out I took in the castle again, an idea forming. If gold had the power to overrule silver's blocking touch on my mind, and even shift the monoliths, could it do something for magic too?

All six wings were of identical length – different designs, but identical lengths. The rear room I'd met Impa in was mirrored perfectly at the end of each wing. If I could break through Ganondorf's block on warp magic with the gold I'd been given... after all, I knew where each of the rooms were now. Why waste time and energy when I didn't have to?

I tested that out from outside first, taking out Farore's Wind.

"Didn't Rauru say..." Navi started.

"He did," I replied. "But he didn't take into account these gauntlets. Let's see what happens if I do this," I went on, holding the spell in both hands and focusing on the central room of the castle. The wind howled around us, tinted green, then with a great cracking sound we were enveloped in a green flash that took us into the castle. From above there came a furious howl of frustration.

"I'd say he's going have much more to howl about if you keep on like that," Navi remarked.

"I'm certainly gonna try my best to give him as many reasons as I can," I said, grinning angelically. "Now lets help the other Sages – stay close now."

Now I'd obtained the Golden Gauntlets from the Shadow wing and satisfied that particular curiosity, I decided to go through the other wings in the same order I'd gone through the Temples. Now that I'd broken the block on the warp magic, I was able to send myself directly to the rooms at the end of each of the wings, following Impa's advice once more. Each Light Arrow freed the Sage from the corresponding ball of light, combining their powers to sever the beam.

When all six Sages had been freed and the beams no longer functioning, the barrier around the central column faded. I headed in to find a red carpeted staircase with fire keese in, shot down not with an arrow but the little-used sword beam from the Master Sword. Those that managed to avoid it long enough to get close got stabbed instead. The few that remained tried to hide, hoping I wouldn't notice them. I'd have left them alone, but it's tactically unsound to leave a live enemy behind you.

At the top I entered a room that must have spanned most of the tower. I could hear faint organ music coming from above now, but paid it little attention as two Lizalfos decided to come and play. Without stopping to think I lifted the two of them up and threw them at each other to stun them, then with a broad swing that hit both of them, finished them off. It caused a boss key chest to appear, the key inside unlocking the opposite door – with another set of stairs.

These stairs were deserted, though the music started to become clearer as I ascended, unlocking another door with the boss key to a room identical to the one below, but slightly smaller. In here there were two Iron Knuckles, and they weren't going to stand around and wait for me to hit them. I'd have stopped to play with them like I had the others before, but I was here on serious business.

This is not to say I didn't have a little fun with them. The two headed for me of course, but stared in astonishment when I took off to put myself out of their reach. Then I lifted their helmets off to reveal the black heads of the... whatever they are that wears the armour. I don't know. While they were distracted by the sudden flight of their helmets I put a pair of bombs in each, then rammed them down on their heads.

They scrabbled desperately to try to take off the helmets until two detonations did it for them. The force of the explosions was more than enough to deal with them instantly. Not exactly nice, but effective.

The big key again unlocked another boss door, as if these doors were going to slow me down or something. No prizes for guessing it led me to another staircase, and another door, leading to another room – again, smaller than the last.

This one was deserted, and also square where the others were round. There were pots neatly arranged in the corners and a fair pillar dominating the center of the room, each side with rough indentations over it that made it climbable. There was nothing between the top and bottom that needed reaching though, the ceiling an unbroken mass of stone tiles that reached to the top of the pillar and presumably over it given the way several of them disappeared over the pillar.

The organ music was very clear here. It sounded as if it was coming from the room directly above. Navi flew up unasked, pausing near the top for a moment, then she dropped back down.

"He's there," she said quietly as if Ganondorf could here. "Zelda too."

"Looks like I'll be doing the whole princess rescuing thing too, huh? Let's go pay a call on his Evilness and see if we can ruin his day like no one else can."

I unlocked the next boss door to climb the last staircase, also deserted, and then unlocked the final door to take me to the room above. It too was square, the massive stone tiles arranged in neat rings. Some of them should probably have fallen, since there was nothing underneath to support them, but who knows how they'd been built into place?

Zelda was encased in an appropriately pink crystal that actually looked like a giant rupee, arms outstretched and her face locked in an unmoving expression of surprise. On the back of one hand a faint glow indicated the presence of the Triforce of Wisdom.

Opposite me was a great organ that took up most of the wall, seated at it none other than Ganondorf himself. Aside from his black armour having been adorned with many embellishments, he looked no different after seven years. A glow from his right hand came from the Triforce of Power, and after a glance to my own hand I saw my own piece of the Triforce was also glowing in reaction to the other two.

He broke off his playing to glance back, with an absent wave of his hand causing the organ to vanish, then he looked me over.

"So... you've come at last. Are you ready to take your place at my side, Silver? With the princess as my bride and you as my right hand-"

"Don't bother," I cut him off disdainfully. "The only reason I'd want your right hand is to take the Triforce piece you pillaged from the Sacred Realm. Hand it over now, and I'll see what I can do to persuade the Princess to lessen whatever sentence she gives you."

"You don't seriously expect me to take you up on that, do you?" he laughed.

"No, I don't," I admitted. "But the alternative is to wipe you out like the stain you are."

"And you are not afraid of that? Here, in the heart of my power, where the three pieces of the Triforce are resonating with each other, you would dare to attack me?"

"Why would I be afraid of that? You should be asking why you're not afraid – and why you should be. But you're not going to, so why don't we get on with this?"

Ganondorf answered by rising up, using magic rather than psychokinesis as I did, then hurled a ball of energy directly downwards. All those stones that had been impossibly held up until now dropped away, leaving only a single ring around the edge and those that covered the central pillar in the room below.

The final battle – or so I thought it was – had begun.


	60. Fall of the King

Ganondorf had seven years – and a bit covering my times in the future – to prepare for my arrival on the scene and come up with a plan to try to rid himself of me where the monsters had failed. I had a few weeks covering present and future, three magic spells and only the tools of the trade I'd picked up along the way.

The King of Evil surveyed me from the air, watching warily for anything I'd try to do. I figured since he was going to fly, so was I and similarly took off even as I shook sword and shield down into their usual places. For all the other things I had, I had a feeling these would become the most useful tools for dealing with him.

His expression flickered into disdainful annoyance, raising one a hand behind him where it gathered greenish-yellow energy into a glowing ball. In response to that I launched myself for him, sword swung down to stab. I felt magic flare into the Golden Gauntlets enhancing the power of the blow, but it never connected – Ganondorf moved swiftly clear and though I reacted quick enough to pursue him, he always managed to stay ahead of me, throwing the energy ball back at me.

I reached out to Nayru's Love, not in contact with me but willing it to work anyway. A glowing blue barrier flashed into existance between me and it, the energy splashing out over it into a crackling spider's web of sparks. I'd kept moving from my momentum so kicked off the nearby wall as I came close enough and headed back for him again. He had to get lucky every time I came for him, I only had to be lucky once. Sooner or later I'd get him.

He'd been given the chance to charge up another magic attack though, this one more yellow and reminiscent of the phantom of the Forest Temple. I paused in the air, puzzling him as he threw the ball at me.

"Game, king?" I said, then swung my sword to reflect the attack back at him. It changed from green-tinted yellow to a golden yellow as my sword caught it, sending it back toward him. He flicked a long red cloak in the way to change it back again, sending it for me.

We threw it back and forth a few more times, where it quickly became clear that he could reflect it easily without any effort, and I had swift enough reactions to do the same. What I needed was a distraction.

So far I hadn't needed my shield, so I shouldered it back up out the way to free my other hand, reaching into the pouch even as I shot the ball back at him again. The pouch as usual always had what I wanted near the top, giving me Farore's Wind and the Bomb Bag instantly. I took out a bomb, concealing the hiss of its fuse until I judged it was almost ready to explode, then used the spell to drop it right behind him.

The detonation threw him forward right as I slashed the energy ball back at him, his reaction lasting just long enough to stop him from reflecting it back. He jerked back from that with a cry, yellow sparks skittering over his armour. While that was there I shot him with a Light Arrow, which forced him down somehow to land on the central platform, then with another use of Farore's Wind I landed nearby and got stuck in.

I quickly found it wasn't worth trying to cut through the armour except by stabbing at certain points that I couldn't reach from here. All I'd achieved by that were showers of sparks. He had, however, left his arms uncovered except where his own gauntlets were, and I spotted places where the armour's straps were. I could peel him out of his armour like an Iron Knuckle if I got the chance.

Ganondorf recovered quicker than I expected though, catching my sword in one mailed fist then attempting to throw it away. I held on tightly, the gauntlets once again enhancing my grip and then also my pushing him back. He looked startled as even through the sword alone, I started to shove him back. He had to use two hands to stop that, and even that wasn't enough when I used both hands to push him back harder.

When he came to the edge I threw him off even more, first relinquishing my hold with one hand. It allowed him to push back harder, but also freed up one hand for me to employ what I still considered to be my greatest asset yet. I gave him a taste of what my gold-enhanced mind could do, easily picking him off my sword and throwing him toward the edge of the room like a ragdoll. Several slabs making up the outer ring dropped away as he crashed and clattered along them.

He came up growling furiously, collecting energy in his hands again as he made sure he stayed clear of me and avoiding periodic blasts from Din's Fire. I shot a few more arrows too, but these he simply blocked with the cloak with no effect, except to leave a number of holes in it.

The magic he threw this time split out into many smaller balls of energy, spreading quickly outward only to arc back and reorient on me. I treated these similarly to the first bit of magic he ever tried on me, though instead of just batting them aside I gathered them together, marshalling them into place, then selecting them one by one and striking them with the Master Sword, sending them back at him for a second round of tennis – one that quickly turned bad on him when he found that reflecting them back at me just allowed me to add them back to the small cloud I had and continue to send them for him.

I changed tactics slightly to up the pace, sticking the Master Sword into the cloud to change them en-massé, then used my mind as the tool to send them back at him at a faster pace. Those he managed to reflect back this time were simply touched briefly to the blade then hurled back. He started to make mistakes in trying to keep up, allowing me to hit him with all those left in quick succession. Another Light Arrow dropped him back to the ground, but before he'd even touched it I grasped Farore's Wind and warped myself right before him, lunging forward before I'd even fully reappeared. Not only did the gauntlets flare with all the magic I could get out of them, but the Triforce of Courage also shone brightly into life, together causing the Master Sword to glow not gold, but the same silver as I am as it pierced the front of his armour and kept on going to reach out the back as well.

Ganondorf stiffened with a yell as I ran him through. He carried on bellowing his monotone cry after I kicked him off my sword and stepped clear, ready to carry on if I had to. I didn't need to though, as he crashed to his knees as the cry broke off and the so-called King of Evil looked me in the eye.

"The Great Evil King Ganondorf..." he started, coughed up some blood, then managed to finish off, "Defeated by this monster?"

"The only monster I see here is you, 'your Majesty'," I told him. "Ironic, isn't it? The world looks at me and sees a monster, but it took a monster to kill the real one."

"I won't let it end this way, Silver," he said with laboured breath, barely holding himself up. "I'm not finished yet."

"Of course you're not. You're the bad guy. You never give up. Want me to give your armour some more ventilation?"

He never answered, clattering down in defeat. The tower started to shake, the part of the tower above collapsing down to fill the hole leading to the room below. I quickly caught the crystal holding the Princess and protected it and myself with another use of Nayru's Love, waiting until the shaking had stopped and the rubble settled.

It left us on the new roof of his castle with his unmoving body face down. I'd have paid more attention but with his demise the crystal glowed and vanished, leaving Princess Zelda to float gently to the floor beside me.

"You know, I'm sure I said it was clichéd, having to do this," I told her lightly.

Zelda stared at me, then laughed. "You just beat the Evil King, and that's all you can say?" She looked over to Ganondorf with a sigh. "Pitiful man. Without a strong and righteous mind, he couldn't properly control the power of the gods, and it corrupted him."

"I thought he already was actually. I shouldn't think you'd have been able to notice the difference too much."

"Will you stop that?" Zelda demanded. "Can't you be serious for just a few minutes?"

"It's not over yet," Ganondorf's voice came, low and clearly with a lot of effort. We both paused to glance over at him. "I will finish you both yet. I will take you with me, Hero of Time! You and your Princess!"

He raised one hand, clenched it tightly, then slammed it down on top of the tower. Magic sparks skittered out and over the top, reaching right the way down. With an appropriately timed roll of thunder, the castle shook once again.

"He's trying to destroy the castle with us!" Zelda exclaimed. "We have to get out of here!"

"Leave that to me," I replied, trying to carry on sounding calm as I took her hand. Rather than use Farore's Wind once again, I caught us both and floated us down to safety instead, aiming for the ruined gate not far from the Great Fairy's fountain.

Ganondorf's castle cracked and rumbled as we left it behind. Chunks of it broke off with a dreadful screech of tortured stone and metal, slipping away to drop into the lake of lava below. The six radiating wings broke away from the central tower, tipping backward until they broke off entirely and followed. The entire thing looked like it was sinking, chunks of it falling away all over the place. I lost sight of Ganondorf's body, and as his life ebbed away I no longer sensed his presence.

The lava below was apparently not endless. The level rose as more and more of the tower collapsed into it, but more and more chunks broke the surface, forming a strangely flat area with rubble built up around it, almost like an arena. Right in the center of it was an immense pile of yet more rubble from which came two glows – one gold, and one silver.

"He's still alive?" Zelda breathed, surprised. "The Triforce... he must be using his piece to sustain himself."

"Stay here," I told her. "Finishing this is up to me."

"But Silver-" she started, then saw my determination and stopped. "At least lend me your bow and arrows. I don't need the gem to create Light Arrows. I'll do what I can to help you from here."

I didn't argue with her. She had a good point, and at least from up here she'd be considerably safer than I would be, far out of his reach. I handed her my quiver and bow, then started descending down to the clearly purpose made arena.

Along the way the rubble covering Ganondorf burst outward like a volcano erupting, the Evil King rising out of it like the wrath of the gods. The golden glow came of course from his piece of the Triforce, while the silver one came from the jagged hole I'd cut in his armour and the wound underneath. The origin of the one Tails saw on him.

With one last incoherent, rage-filled roar, he held up his fist. The Triforce within glowed even brighter, encompassing him in its golden glow then expanding outward. When it cleared I saw not Ganondorf, but a great beast. His armour was gone, replaced with a tough looking darkened hide. Yellow eyes glared balefully out of the pig-like face he now had, tusks and horns plainly sharpened to a deadly point. In each massive ham-fisted hand he held a blade that was a tall as he was, both glowing the same golden yellow that his fist and eyes did, and as he lowered his gaze to give vent to a foul-breathed thundering roar, I saw a similarly yellow gem glowing on his forehead.

With his roar the thunderstorm above cracked and rolled, lightning putting in an appearance too, and because these things never happen without it a downpour started, setting the lava around us to hissing.

I stared the beast in the face, waiting for him to run out of breath. It took him a while, but finally he stopped and stared back at me. With a defiant face I drew out the Master Sword one more time, taking it in both hands as if it were Biggoron's Sword.

"One lightning-seared pig roast, coming right up," I grinned mirthlessly at him, then charged for him.


	61. Silver Showdown

The great King of Evil in his new form towered above me, the great blades in his massive hands more than enough to reach me without having to get as close as I would to him. The silver scar he gained from my original attack had grown with him becoming as a crack, a glowing scar that would not heal because of all the light force that had caused it.

I headed in for battle, using my mind to augment any move I made as I needed, allowing me to evade the two swords as I closed in, ducking under, leaping over or just sticking the Master Sword in the way and bracing myself against the impacts that jarred both body and mind with the power behind them.

He grew increasingly frantic as I got closer and closer to him, determined not to let me reach that silver scar again at any cost, backing down only to keep striking for me. His inability to hit me infuriated him, his immense size doing him no favours there.

A sudden jolt of light shot down from above, a Light Arrow from the princess that streaked down toward him, catching his shoulder. Though the arrow itself barely broke his tough hide, the light within seared at him, causing him to stumble back from it with a bellowed roar at the Princess.

"What're you looking up there for?" I shouted up to him. "You're fighting me!"

Ganondorf looked back down to me, swords swinging for me again despite the futility of it. This time I leapt up onto one of them, leaving him momentarily looking at where I'd been. I took advantage of the distraction to leap down to his head and stab the gem on his forehead.

_That_ definitely hurt him. He jerked back so violently from that, I was thrown off behind him to crash into a heap of rubble, the sudden impact of landing enough to leave me stunned for a few moments. He stumble around for a while howling in pain, but was not so far gone in it to miss the sitting duck I'd become.

I reacted as soon as I was able to move again, and by that time he was already rushing for me, blades lowered ready to skewer me. Zelda shot another Light Arrow at him, but his back was to her now and he shrugged off even the light of that. I meanwhile flung rocks and debris at him while I got back up, shaking off the stunning effects of the impact. He was too close to avoid now, any escape I tried to make he'd be able to react quick enough to handle.

Except one. Farore's Wind whisked me clear of the blades right to the clear space behind him, while he impaled his blades into the debris, struggling to get them back out again. He'd clearly realised what I'd done, but felt he had to have them to fight me.

Right before me was his tail, a blackened snake reaching from his back, apparently incapable of movement on its own. For a moment I reached for the Megaton Hammer, but my hand found the hilt of Biggoron's sword and another idea occurred to me. 'This is my finest work – it will never break' Biggoron had said when he'd handed it to me. If that was true...

I pulled it out as I headed for the tail, floating up and holding the great sword pointing straight down. Just as had happened when I'd stabbed him in the chest, both gauntlets and Triforce flared as I rammed it down, piercing the tail and even the rubble that formed the arena itself. If it didn't hold him to the spot, it would hurt him a great deal to tear himself free.

Ganondorf, naturally, howled again and in pain found strength to tear the blades free from their stone prison, whirling quickly to face me. He kicked at Biggoron's sword as he passed, but the blade held strong and merely vibrated back with a metal hum.

In turning to face me he'd made a mistake though, as Zelda shot another Light Arrow down. Again it missed the gem on his head as he spotted it incoming and drew back, but it caught the silver scar, which clearly hurt. I found the Master Sword out again, taking advantage of his state to try to reach for the scar again, but once more he recovered just quick enough to bring the blades into play, defending it at any cost.

As long as he kept moving Zelda would have trouble hitting that gem. I quickly took stock of her vantage and figured where I could be and leave Ganondorf still facing the right way for her. It wasn't enough by itself, I had to find a way to get and keep his attention so he wouldn't notice the Light Arrows as they fell to him.

He came up short as I backed clear of the desperately swung blades, Biggoron's Sword still pinning his tail down to prevent his movement. He looked back at it, taking care to turn his head away from Zelda.

"What's up, little piggie?" I called, taking advantage of this to head back for him once again. "Stuck in the mud?"

Ganondorf turned back, looking where I'd been before then down to see me not running for him, but flying, picking up speed. I was going to get that scar again, whatever it took!

Zelda had other ideas. She took advantage of the momentary surprise to finally land a Light Arrow in the gem. It hit with a blaze of light that seemed to shake the earth itself as Ganondorf dropped both blades, reaching for his head as he stumbled back away from it. Some rubble caused him to lose his footing, crashing down to conceal the scar but leaving him twitching on the ground.

"Now, Silver!" Zelda called to me. "Raise the sword to the heavens to fill it with power, then strike the final blow on that gem!"

The thunderstorm rumbled and thundered almost constantly as I raised the Master Sword. A sudden lightning strike hit it, but oddly had no effect on me. Zelda shot one last Light Arrow into the blade, glowing golden as it streaked downward with the power of her piece of the Triforce. My own Triforce piece glowed in response, and with the two pieces and a second lightning strike the Master Sword itself glowed brightly.

Time itself seemed to slow down as I struck down. Ganondorf's yellow eyes widened back in shock as he realised what was happening, the onset of fear preventing him from moving. The storm around seemed to break off, falling silent as if the gods themselves were holding their breaths in anticipation of this final strike.

Then with an explosion of light, my attack struck true. I had to cover my eyes with my free hand to save them from the incandescent light that blazed, forcing Ganondorf back to his original form. During the flare of light Zelda had somehow made her way down beside me.

"Now, great sages! Transport us to the Mirror of Twilight!" she cried out, arms raised skyward.

Light flared again, though this time not white but streaked with the colours of each of the six sages. The three of us were picked up by the light, transported toward the Mirror of Twilight with Hyrule shooting past below us, soaring up to the very top of the Spirit Temple and the Mirror itself.

Seven white figures awaited us there atop the stone pillars, their faces hovering before their heads somehow. As we descended, six more figures appeared, the Sages I'd awakened, surrounding us.

"Ancient creators of Hyrule," the six of them chanted in unison, lead by Zelda. "Open the door to the sealed realm and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the evil realm!"

The seven white figures now raised their hands, forcing Ganondorf to his feet. Jerkily, he made his way to the black stone, but he did not go quietly. The white figures and the sages smothered his attempts to summon magic, but he persisted until at last he sent a blast at one of the white figures, obliterating it.

I'd moved to stop him, but Zelda held me back.

"If you go in there right now, you'll upset the balance of power," she told me. "Stay back and stay safe."

"Who are they?" I asked.

"The ancient creators of Hyrule – the very first Sages, from whom our Sages are descended."

The ancient Sages doubled their efforts, forming chains of pure light to hold Ganondorf in place while the present Sages aimed the Mirror of Twilight. Light caught it, reflecting off it to the black stone, the designs shifting and moving on the stone to make it appear they were sinking into some black hole.

Then the discordant musical sound of Ganondorf being turned into flecks of twilight filled the air, and he was banished to the realm beyond the Mirror of Twilight. The ancient Sages, their work done, bowed respectfully to us all, then vanished.

"We should go too," Saria murmured. "Our peoples are waiting for our return."

"Right," Darunia agreed, turning to me. "We all owe you, brother," he boomed. "Hyrule itself is in your debt."

"You've done well," Impa said, for the first time a smile touching her face. "You will surely be remembered among all the previous Heros Hyrule has seen."

"And to think, I almost got to marry you," Ruto added slyly. "Don't forget to visit me sometime."

"Or any of the rest of us," Nabooru added.

The five Sages I'd awakened turned back into light then, each of them heading for their various homes, leaving me stood with Rauru and Zelda.

"It is almost time for me to leave as well, to continue my vigil over the Temple of Light," he said. "But first there is one final task I must ask of you, Silver."

Rauru reached into his robe and took out a cloth wrapped package, tied together with string. Inside there were three curiously shaped items, each one clearly a part of the others. It was also clear there was one piece missing.

"What are they?"

"The pieces of the Fused Shadow," Zelda answered. "A powerful dark magic Rauru kept sealed in the Temple of Light to prevent Ganondorf from obtaining them. However, now the danger is past it is time to entrust them to the care of the light spirits.

Rauru nodded agreement, continuing, "You who possess the power to travel through time... you must journey back through the flow to the moment you last left the Sacred Realm for this future Hyrule. There you will hand these to yourself."

"Absolutely out of the question," I replied without stopping. "Meeting a past version of yourself is exceptionally dangerous, and even if I did Ganondorf will be abroad at that point in time. He could still take them."

"Not in the care of the spirits of Light, he cannot," Rauru replied. "And in any case, you have no choice – you have already received these and taken them there – now you must take them to yourself, so that you may deliver them."

"I don't remember that," I said. "But that's not remarkable. If I was going to do this, in order to ensure there's absolutely no chance of a paradox, I'd have to force myself to forget – that way I couldn't do anything differently, because with no memory of it everything I do would be perfectly replicated. It still won't work though."

"Why not?" Zelda inquired. "You _can_ travel through time, can't you?"

"I can, that's not the issue here. The problem is with the memory. If I make myself forget, there's a chance that I'll be able to recall those memories anyway. I have a strong enough mind to do that. Someone else has to do it, someone with more power than me."

"Why not ask your piece of the Triforce to do it?"

"Because then I'd have to tell my past self that, and ideally I want to do as little as possible when that happens. The more I say and do, the more chance of a paradox. Ideally, I want to appear, hand it over, and disappear."

"What if I wrote a note for you to read?" Zelda suggested. "If you and I figure out what we can say in it, it should be enough."

"I believe I can help too," Rauru said. "I can speak to the spirits of Light, and ask them for the aid of the Goddess of Time. If she consents, she will allow them to remember your words before they have been said, and will be able to inform you of what must be done to prevent a paradox."

"That's much better," I said approvingly. If they pass on the need to forget, that means we only have to put the most immediate instructions in the letter. What I need to do, and where I need to take them – and in simplified Hylian too, please Princess. I still haven't gotten around to learning to read any better."

"You'll do it then?" she asked. "There's no point in me writing it if you won't."

"As long as we stick to this plan, I'll do it. I'll be very upset if I come back to here and now only to find you've slapped me in the face with a paradox thought."

"Entertaining thought," Rauru murmured with the barest hint of humour. "I will inform the light spirits of their part to play. We may only hope the Goddess of Time permits this."

He too turned into light and departed, while Zelda started work on the letter.

"When you return, head for the Temple of Time," she told me. "I will meet you there, so we can put the Master Sword to rest and return you to your time."

"You're not coming?"

"I did not use the Temple of Time to arrive here, Silver. I experienced the last seven years in the natural order." She waved the letter to dry the ink, then handed it to me. I'll spare you my reading it out, since you already know what it says, then decided it would be enough.

"See you in a few moments," I told her, then focused my mind. I had more than enough power, even without the Golden Gauntlets, to achieve time-travel. I had done for some time, but the Heroing took precedence. Now I had a reason and a point of reference, I was ready to repeat, and if I worked quick enough I'd be able to handle the return journey without having to build up strength again.

"Silver," Navi said, the first she'd said since before facing Ganondorf. "Am I coming?"

"Of course you are, but I should warn you – not a word."

"I know, I was listening."

"Stay close then, and lets go."


	62. Adventure's End

The Temple of Time was as peaceful as it always was when we arrived in the signature green flash of my abilities. I did just enough with my mind to keep the portal, unseen as it was, open so I'd be able to travel back, then concealed both our minds carefully. If I was right, the past me would be able to sense our presence and that we were ahead of him on the timeline, but nothing more – further protection against a paradox.

For a moment I thought I'd arrived too early, as there was no one around at all. Early was better than late though, so for now at least I headed in toward the Pedestal of Time to wait for my impending arrival. I didn't have long to wait before blue light shot up, the shadowy figure of me silhouetted against it, then it faded leaving me stood there having just drawn the Master Sword out.

My past self noticed me immediately, and his Navi not long after. As she did not know to keep silent for this yet, I raised a finger to indicate silence, then as he gave me a questioning look, I handed over the package containing the Fused Shadows, Zelda's letter attached. I gave him a wink as he took it, then stepped back to the waiting time portal, disappearing to his view as it took me back to the proper point on the timeline.

Along the way back two things happened. Firstly I reoriented the portal to point to the battleground I'd faced Ganondorf at, since I'd left Biggoron's sword there and I wanted to retrieve it, but secondly and far more importantly, the block on my mind faded and I regained my memories of delivering the Fused Shadows.

"So the Goddess of Time did agree to help then," Navi said as we arrived. "That's good to know."

"I wonder if she was involved in keeping that portal open," I mused to myself, picking my way over the rubble to get my sword back. "Normally its much harder to keep it open that long without making it visible."

"Or maybe its the gold in your gauntlets," she countered. "Silver, there's... something I have to tell you."

"What's that?"

"I can't stay with you. It's nothing personal, but..."

"Take your time, Navi. We've got as long as we need."

"But Zelda-"

"Has no idea how precisely I can travel time, and won't even know we took this side trip," I answered, knowing what she'd ask.

Navi took a few moments to collect herself while I heaved the sword out of the rock, noticing as I examined it that it had somehow managed to maintain its edge despite what I'd done. Once I'd picked a rock nearby to settle on and wait for her, she finally answered.

"When a fairy an a Kokiri are partnered, they remain together for life. The Kokiri don't age or die – sometimes when they've been around for a long time, they disappear, but they don't die – and that extends to their fairies."

"I think I understand. Because I'm not a Kokiri-"

"I age, just like you do. I wish I could stay with you, but I want you to remember me as I am now."

"Navi... how long do you have?"

"I don't want to say. I'll have seven more years when we return to our own time, but I'll still know my time is limited. Please, let me go my own way when we get back Silver."

I reached a hand out to her, which she settled gently into. "Don't worry. No matter where you go, or what happens, you and I will always be together. Just think – you're the only fairy who knows anything about psychokinesis. Think of that as my lasting gift to you."

"But what about you?"

"I'll always remember you. You've been my friend and partner through this whole adventure, and I don't think I'd have managed nearly so well if I hadn't had your help. I'll miss you, but I'll never forget you."

"Promise?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Promise. Now, what do you say we go argue with the Princess?"

"Argue? What about?"

"Wait and see, dear friend," I grinned back. "She's going to object, I'm sure of it, but I'm sure I can bring her around."

Since Zelda had seen me disappear into the original time portal, she would know what to look for to mark my arrival, and I knew that wouldn't appear if I travelled by normal means. So instead of going directly to the Temple of Time, I took us just outside, near the ruined marketplace – now devoid of Redeads, and even with a few of the braver folk from Kakariko hesitantly exploring the ruins.

She was waiting for me when I entered the Temple, giving me a quizzical look.

"My aim was slightly off," I apologised. "After doing all this, I'm just a little rusty. I delivered the Fused Shadows, and as I left I remembered receiving them too. There's no paradox to worry about."

"Good. Now it's time for you to return to your own time. I have to ask you to return the Ocarina of Time before you leave though."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Princess," I said.

"I think it is. It belongs with the royal family."

"Hear me out. There are five keys to open the Door of Time, right? The three Spiritual Stones, the Ocarina of Time and the Song of Time. When I go back, the Door of Time will close again won't it?"

"Yes," she answered. "The Goddess of Time will know the task of the Temple of Time is done, and will seal it."

"That means as long as all the keys remain in Hyrule, someone can open it again and access the Sacred Realm. Even if, when I get back, I return the three Spiritual Stones, as long as the Ocarina of Time remains with me no one can open the door. Someone could gather them together and learn the song, but without it, they can't open the door. Let me protect the Ocarina for you."

"But if we need it after now..."

"I promise to keep watch over Hyrule and if something comes up without a Hero to handle it, I'll step in," I offered. "I'm trying to do what's best for Hyrule here, Princess."

She thought it over for a time, then finally gave in and nodded agreement. "Very well. I'll hold you to that promise – but leave the Spiritual Stones here. They have to remain until now. I'll have them returned shortly. Now you should put the Master Sword back."

And I did just that.

* * *

"There isn't much more to tell after that," Silver concluded. "During that last transport back in time, I acted as Tails' teacher, passing on the skills the Goddesses asked me to. The wolf he saw in Hyrule was just an image the Goddesses projected, so I have no idea what it's actually like to be a wolf. When I got back, Navi went her own way, the Door of Time sealed, and I went off back to Kokiri Forest for some well earned rest."

"That's all you did?" Tails pressed.

"Sure, why?"

"Then how do you explain the bow I found in the Goron Mines? Wasn't that your bow?"

"Oh, yeah. That. I guess I forgot. Just before I taught you, the goddesses took the various equipment I gathered 'for the next hero' they told me. They left me Biggoron's Sword, the Golden Gauntlets, all three spells and the Hylian shield, which they altered so I could better use it one-handed as my younger self again. Everything else was left in Hyrule."

"What about Termina?" Knuckles asked. "You're gonna tell us that story too, aren't you?"  
"Give me a little break, I've been telling this one for long enough. Anyway, you've got to tell us who that other Hero is."

"You did say you'd tell us if he hadn't shown up," Sonic agreed. "So who is it?"

"Someone you know," Knuckles replied. "Well, someone Sonic should know, at least. I don't think the rest of you know him."

Sonic looked puzzled, but didn't offer a guess. "Who is it? Can't ya just tell us?"

Knuckles smiled back slyly. "You know, I wonder how you'll react when I tell you. After all, so far all of us Heros have just been your friends – I'm sure it'll be a little different when it's your own little brother."

He let that sink in a bit, then with a mix of dismay and surprise, Sonic burst out, "Manic? You're telling me Manic is a Hero too now?"

* * *

**A/N: **And now at long last, our second epic tale is at a close! Damn, that was a fun one to write.

If you've glanced over at my profile page and some of the notable stories I put up on it, you'll already know the probable titles of the next three stories in this little series. I'll be taking a little break from them for a bit - I've got some other stories I've been neglecting that I really should work on - but when I return to them, look out for Silver's second adventure in Termina, which will be entitled 'Silver Demons'.

Hope you've enjoyed reading! See you next time!


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